Role of a school Psychologist- Identify Autism

The NASP organization helps children to develop as successful individuals in school, at home, and in life. In this slide show, you can see how Autism is difficult for a school psychologist to diagnose and catch early in child development. It has become more common to be diagnosed with autism. Possible explanations for the increase in diagnosis for children with autism are due to awareness, change in diagnostics, increase in the acceptance of diagnostics, and the availability of resources for children with autism.
What does this have to do with the school psychologist's role?
Autism can be diagnosed early in development. This early identification is crucial to determine the course of autism. With early diagnosis, a child would be able to receive the proper care to help learn with the disabilities. Most Autistic children have been identified by school resources.

Only 3% of children are identified solely on non school resources.

(Brock 4) 40% of school resources alone have identified the child's disability [4]. School psychologists "must be vigilant for symptoms of autism among the students they serve" (6).
Students with autism are increasingly being placed in full sized public classrooms. These changes in schools are showing positive increasing rates of children with disabilities to be able to function normal lifestyles along with the rest of their classmates. The public school is showing an increase of child development and understanding. Those with mild cases of autism show significant positive outcomes due to public schooling. Of course, those with extreme cases of autism may have more of a challenge in a public school. They do require extra attention, a teacher with previous experience with autism, and a strong support group at home.
With school psychologists, only those who have been properly trained and supervised can diagnose a specific autism spectrum disorder. With this diagnosis, the school psychologist would be able to help the student to get proper special education. There is pressure on the school psychologist because by diagnosing a student, they are giving them a label. There are still parents that are unwilling to accept to hear that their child is different. Parents like their children to be considered normal. Not only that, but psychologist help to determine the necessities that a child may need in the classroom. They take warning signs, and it's up to them to contact the family of the child to make sure that he or she receives a proper diagnosis. These parents may not take the news lightly which promotes a problem within the relationship between the psychologist and the parent; which would only hurt the student.

http://www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/Workshops/NASP/2009/ASD.pdf