SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA- Imagine tirelessly trying to find an autism evaluation for your child when the closest option is an hour and a half away. You are then put on a waitlist for 2 years, and you encounter constant rejection, delays and miscommunication with diagnostic service providers. That’s exactly what happened to Scranton, Pennsylvania mom of 3, Bianca Sibio. She couldn’t believe the hoops she had to jump through just to find an appointment for her 5-year-old daughter, Isla. That is, until her mother-in-law did some research and came to her with another option: As You Are, a virtual clinic that provides autism diagnostic services through telehealth appointments. She made an appointment right away, feeling incredibly relieved after all the waiting and the constant back-and-forth while searching for answers.
She said, “Isla was diagnosed with autism within a month. And the services she gets now that she’s diagnosed are unbelievable.”
During one of the three appointments, Bianca noticed Isla was having an off day, and the As You Are physician could tell Isla wasn’t up to participating in the appointment activities that day, which allow the physician to watch the child’s behavior for diagnostic purposes.
“The doctor was so patient and worked with us to move the appointment to a later date when Isla was feeling up to it,” Bianca said. “I can’t imagine if that happened at the doctor’s office and I had to drive an hour and a half back home… just to go back and try again another day.”
The fact that the evaluation was virtual was a huge plus since she wouldn’t have to drive so far to get there, and she loved that Isla was in her own surroundings. She was also grateful that her insurance picked up the cost of all three appointments.
“It was a weight lifted off my shoulders because it was one less thing I had to worry about, and I constantly worried,” she said. “Now, I can focus on getting Isaac tested.”
Her son, Isaac, is just 2-years-old and turning 3 soon. After having such a good overall experience having Isla diagnosed, Bianca is also having Isaac evaluated with As You Are.
She said, “I’m 100% sure that if I didn’t find As You Are, I’d still be going through this.”
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.
