Autism Spectrum Disorders
Clinically reviewed by Michael T. Smith, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist | Last updated June 2026 | Family Psychology Associates has served Tampa Bay since 1992.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects communication, social interaction, sensory processing, and behavior. Current estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that approximately 1 in 36 U.S. children is identified with ASD, a significantly higher prevalence than earlier estimates. The increase reflects both broader diagnostic criteria and better recognition across sex, race, and socioeconomic lines than the field had in past decades. The core point for families is that autism is common, recognition is more precise than it used to be, and early, appropriate support reliably improves outcomes.
Our autism spectrum services focus on children, adolescents, and their families. (For adults seeking autism-affirming therapy, please see our Adult Autism Therapy page.) The work at FPA is built around behavioral expertise, family support, school consultation, and coordinated individual therapy. We work alongside, rather than in place of, the developmental pediatricians, speech and language pathologists, and occupational therapists who are often part of a child’s care team.
What Pediatric Autism Actually Looks Like
Autism looks different across the spectrum and across development. Some of the families who come in are navigating a new diagnosis in a young child and are trying to figure out what to do first. Others have a school-age child whose social and behavioral patterns have become more visible as peer expectations grow. Some have an adolescent whose autism was identified earlier and who now needs support around identity, peer relationships, emerging sexuality, and the shift toward independence. Some have a girl or young woman whose autism was missed for years because her presentation did not match the classic picture, and who is being diagnosed for the first time in middle or high school.
Across the spectrum, autism commonly co-occurs with anxiety, ADHD, learning differences, sleep issues, sensory processing challenges, and gastrointestinal issues. Understanding the full picture is essential, because a plan that targets only one piece often leaves the others untouched and the overall functioning unchanged.
What We See in Our Pediatric Autism Caseload
Three patterns stand out right now. Young children whose pediatrician has flagged a possible autism concern and whose parents are looking for behavioral and family support while they pursue formal diagnostic testing (often with a developmental pediatrician or a specialty clinic). School-age children and adolescents with an established autism diagnosis who are navigating the social complexity of middle school, where peer dynamics become the central arena and require direct coaching. And older girls and young women whose autism was missed in childhood, whose presentation includes significant masking, and whose mental health has suffered under the cost of that masking.
We also see many autistic children and adolescents whose primary presenting concern is anxiety, and for whom autism-informed anxiety treatment produces better results than generic anxiety treatment. Autistic children and adolescents often respond well to concrete, structured, predictable approaches, with sensory considerations integrated into the plan.
A population that often goes under-served is siblings and parents of autistic children. Siblings navigate their own set of experiences and feelings. Parents, particularly mothers, experience documented elevation in caregiver stress and burnout. Part of a comprehensive family plan is making sure the people around the autistic child are also supported.
How We Work With Autistic Children and Families at FPA
Our autism services are organized around what the family needs at the specific stage they are in. Common elements include:
- Diagnostic consultation and screening. We conduct autism screening and diagnostic consultation for children and adolescents. When formal standardized autism assessment (for example, ADOS-2 testing) is indicated, we coordinate referral to a specialty autism clinic or developmental pediatrician that conducts it, and we support the family through the process.
- Family psychoeducation. Helping parents and siblings understand the child’s specific autism profile, what to expect, and how to respond effectively in everyday situations.
- Behavioral consultation and intervention. Our team includes a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D), which allows us to provide applied behavior analysis (ABA) consultation when it fits the child’s needs and the family’s values. We use behavior analytic principles in a way that is child-centered, preserves the child’s dignity and autonomy, and is explicitly not focused on suppressing autistic traits or stimming.
- Individual therapy for autistic children and adolescents. Autism-informed cognitive behavioral therapy and other therapy approaches that are adapted for each child’s communication and sensory profile. Strong fit for managing anxiety, emotional regulation, peer concerns, and identity questions.
- Parent coaching. Focused work with parents on the specific behaviors and situations that come up at home. Often produces the fastest and most durable change, because parents are with the child hundreds of hours for every hour of direct therapy.
- Sibling support. Individual and family work with neurotypical siblings whose own experiences and needs deserve attention.
- School consultation. Coordination with the child’s school team around 504 Plans, IEPs, behavioral plans, and classroom accommodations. Our psychoeducational evaluations support eligibility when that is the question.
- Coordination with the broader care team. Speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, developmental pediatricians, and school-based specialists are often part of the picture, and coordinated care consistently produces better outcomes than care provided in isolation.
Clinicians Who Specialize in Pediatric Autism Spectrum
Clinicians at FPA with particular depth in pediatric autism work include Ambreen Shahabuddin, Ph.D., BCBA-D (Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral, with specialization in autism spectrum and behavioral intervention), Eric Schave, LMHC. Our intake team matches each family to the clinician whose training and availability fit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Autism Services
Do you diagnose autism?
We conduct autism screening and diagnostic consultation for children and adolescents. When formal standardized autism assessment (such as ADOS-2 testing) is indicated, we coordinate referral to a specialty clinic or developmental pediatrician and stay involved through the diagnostic process and afterward.
Do you offer ABA therapy?
Our program includes a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral, and we offer behavior analytic consultation and intervention when it fits the family’s goals and values. Our approach is explicitly child-centered, preserves the child’s dignity and autonomy, and is not focused on suppressing autistic traits.
What ages do you work with?
Our pediatric autism services cover early childhood through late adolescence. For adults seeking autism-affirming care, please see our Adult Autism Therapy page.
Can you help with school accommodations for my child?
Yes. We do psychoeducational evaluation that supports 504 Plans and IEPs, and we provide consultation to school teams on classroom accommodations, behavioral plans, and the day-to-day environment.
My daughter is 14 and was just diagnosed with autism. Is this the right page?
Yes. Later-diagnosis autism in girls and young women is a growing part of our caseload, and the work often includes processing the diagnosis itself, addressing the anxiety and depression that often accompany years of masking, and supporting identity and peer relationships.
Do you work with families whose child is not yet formally diagnosed?
Yes. Behavioral consultation, family psychoeducation, and parent coaching are valuable while a formal diagnostic evaluation is in progress, and the work can continue in parallel once the evaluation is complete.
Do you offer telehealth?
Many components of our autism services work well by telehealth, including parent coaching, adolescent therapy, and family sessions. Some direct work with younger children is best delivered in person.
Do you accept insurance?
Several of our clinicians are paneled with major plans, and others are out-of-network. Our intake team will review your plan before scheduling.
Related Services at FPA
Pediatric autism work frequently intersects with other concerns. You may also want to look at our pages on adult autism therapy, psychological testing, ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety disorders, child therapy, and teen therapy.
Where We See Clients
Family Psychology Associates provides pediatric autism services at our offices in St. Petersburg, Safety Harbor, and Trinity, and by telehealth throughout Florida. To request an appointment, visit our Contact Us page.
Our Clinical Standards
Every clinician at Family Psychology Associates holds a current Florida state license. Our autism team includes a Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D), licensed mental health counselors, and doctoral-level psychologists with specific training in autism spectrum work. Content on this page reflects clinical approaches currently used by our practice and is reviewed by FPA’s clinical leadership. It is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized clinical consultation.