HOUSTON, TEXAS- 3-year-old Dallas from Houston is full of life. His mom, Daira, says he can name more animals and describe their sounds than most adults. At his recent annual checkup, Daira says she knew he had autism. She had been hearing from other parents that waitlists were long for autism evaluations but didn’t let that stop her from finding help.
“I didn’t want to get down about it. I knew something would work out, so I just didn’t get discouraged. My mom gave me a clinic to call, but I didn’t even have a chance because I found As You Are… everything went well, it was so fast and no waiting list,” she said.
As You Are is a virtual clinic for autism diagnostic evaluations, which Daira found on social media. She filled out the online paperwork and said from there, everything happened quickly. She loved the fact that she didn’t have to leave her house for the video calls with their dedicated As You Are physician.
Daira said, “I liked it because it was so convenient. It beats going to the doctor’s office. Because he has autism, he doesn’t sit down. I would rather be in the comfort of our own home. He can run and do whatever. I loved that aspect. When it said it was virtual, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I want to do this.’”
A care coordinator, called a Care Sidekick, also met with them over video calls and was able to connect them with resources in their area. Now with an official diagnosis, Dallas is able to get the therapy he needs and Daira is grateful to As You Are for speeding up that process.
Do you have questions about your child’s development? The team at As You Are provides diagnostic evaluations for kids 16 months to 10 years old via telehealth appointments along with useful resources, including an online autism screening. Learn more at asyouare.com.
