Score on CARS test?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Score on CARS test?
5
Sat, 02-18-2006 - 1:33pm

Hello, I think that was the name of the test...When Jacob had his 2nd eval this week, the doc. used C.A.R.S. He said Jacob scored a 33 but I have no idea what that means. I know it means mild/moderate autism but I wanted to see where it fell on the chart..I've looked online but have been pretty unsuccessful at finding anything with the scores....just curious if anyone knows what it is or where I could find the answer. I'm sure I can ask but then I'd feel foolish for not asking sooner...

Thanks!

Keri

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2004
Sun, 02-19-2006 - 12:49pm

Keri,

We did the CARS test too. But I wasn't given the score, just an overal view of how he did. And this was in a written report. I never did go back and ask the dr for Nathan's actual test score. We also took a few other tests too....and I don't have the scores on those either. At the time, it just didn't occur to me to ask. I was just so overwhelmed about the dx, I was dealing with that at the time.

Sorry, I couldn't be more help!

michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2005
Sun, 02-19-2006 - 7:29pm

I wish I could remember where I saw this and since I can't I probably shouldn't post. But I am fairly sure with the CARS score, lower is closer to typical, the higher the score, the more atypical, or "autistic." My son originally scored something like a 30 and his current diagnosis is PDD-NOS, but I don't know exactly how the scores work either.

Again, I can't really remember but I seem to recall that 40 was considered more "severe," the 30's were "moderate" and that the 20's were "mild."

Wish I could help more. I know I have seen the explanation somewhere and if I find it, I'll post it. But google turned up like yours, mostly places to buy the test booklet!

Katherine

Avatar for betz67
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 02-19-2006 - 7:52pm

HI!

when we did Weston's last eval by the Department of Diabilities and special needs/ autism division they used the CARS and Criteria for Autistic Disorder Diagnostic .... and an informal observation. He was 8 yrs 10 months. On the CARS he scored 39.5, which is considered "sever autism" the cut off between moderate and sever is 37.0 according to this document. The psychologist said that this score was due to his severe Sensory integration Dysfunction. We had done a CARS before when weston was 7yrs he scored a 34 (done by a different pschyologist in a different setting) which they considered moderate, but the other didn't consider his differences in his development from his peers quite as severe.

Weston is quite high functioning, even though he's considered severe, he has good language skills and he has other good skills that help him overcome some of his autistic traits. Weston does quite well in his world. Lots of things he does seem quaint, not awful. He has adapted to be able to function ok in the world with minimal help.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the scores. Each child is very different. You might have one child that has a severe score that's able to do fairly normal things w/ a little amount of support and others that have a much lower score that have a much more difficult time functioning. Also, the people scoring the test are different, what one person considers severe can be different than another evaluator in the next county. The test is just one tool to help determine your child's special needs, not a finite place for your child on the autism specturm.

Betsy

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2005
Sun, 02-19-2006 - 10:37pm

Betsy,

I just wanted to say you made a really important point, to not get too focused on test scores or labels. You are exactly right, tests are just tools.

Katherine

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Mon, 02-20-2006 - 1:31pm
Keri,
CARS was one of the tests the doctor used on Jake went he went for his evaluation for Autism. They also used ADOS and of course the DSM which I believe to be more accurate. Jake scored 27.5(30 and above suggests autism) on the CARS test which suggested he was not Autistic but I bet if he took the same test today he would score higher. Thankfully we had a team evaluation which included an OT,ST and behavior specialist because I think they together could see the issues and even though he got a low score on the CARS test could see in fact he is Autistic but just mildly affected.
Teresa