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Autism evaluation in Chicago: 171 developmental pediatricians, neuropsychologists and clinics

Most plans want an autism diagnosis before they pay for ABA. These 171 specialists list a practice address in Chicago in the NPPES public register.

  • 141clinical neuropsychologists
  • 24developmental-behavioral pediatricians
  • 6neurodevelopmental disabilities physicians

Chicago has 10.5 autism evaluators for every 10 ABA therapy providers on this list; across the 10 cities the figure runs from 0.7 in Miami to 18.6 in Dallas. Source: NPPES register, pulled November 2, 2026.

The Chicago skyline from the lakefront

Who can diagnose autism in Chicago?

When you call, ask three things: do you evaluate for autism at my child's age, do you take my insurance, and how long is the wait for a first appointment.

Built from NPPES taxonomy codes for developmental-behavioral pediatrics, neurodevelopmental disabilities and clinical neuropsychology. Child psychologists and hospital clinics also diagnose autism and may not be on this list. How the list is built.

What an autism evaluation involves

There is no blood test for autism, so doctors diagnose it by looking at a child's development history and behavior. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A formal evaluation is done by trained specialists, such as a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, speech-language pathologist, or occupational therapist. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, child psychologists, and psychiatrists can diagnose autism, depending on state rules. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

A full autism evaluation uses parent questionnaires, direct observation, structured interviews, and tests of everyday skills, and should not be a short visit. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The ADOS-2 is a standard play-based observation test that is often seen as the gold standard for diagnosing autism. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends autism screening for all children at their 18-month and 24-month checkups. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cost: A private-pay autism evaluation in the US usually costs $1,000 to $5,000, and full evaluations most often cost $2,000 to $3,000, according to Strides Therapeutics. Source: Strides Therapeutics.

After the diagnosis

Ask the evaluator to write the diagnosis and a recommendation for ABA in the report. Your plan or Medicaid will ask for both.

163 ABA therapy providers in Chicago

Illinois Medicaid

Children on Medicaid can get the evaluation and ABA paid for when a doctor says they're needed.

ABA therapy and Medicaid in Illinois

Autism evaluation in other cities