Your First Appointment for Brain Treatment for Autism: What Parents Can Expect
Most families don’t book an appointment like this casually. By the time you’re here, you’ve already tried things, gathered opinions, and paid attention to what helps and what doesn’t. You’re not starting from zero.
If you’re considering brain treatment for autism at Vancouver Brain Treatment Clinic, the first appointment is for getting clearer information, a better understanding of what’s happening neurologically, and whether this therapeutic approach makes sense for your child.
If you’re weighing different options, we’ve also written a broader overview of autism therapy in Vancouver that some parents find helpful.
Below is what the first appointment includes, what your child will be asked to do, how long it usually takes, and how next steps are decided.
Before You Come In
After you book the initial brain mapping appointment, we’ll email you intake forms.
You can complete them at home, where you have the space to think and answer in your own way. The goal isn’t to capture every detail or force your child’s experience into neat boxes. It’s to give us enough context to meet you and your child where you are.
If you have previous assessments, therapy reports, or school documentation you want us to review, bring them along. If you don’t, or if they no longer reflect what you’re seeing day to day, that won’t hold anything up. This appointment is focused on what’s happening now, not revisiting everything that came before.
If there’s anything that would help us work better with your child, such as sensory considerations, communication preferences, or things that tend to make appointments harder, you can note that in the forms or mention it when you arrive.
The First Appointment for Brain Treatment for Autism
The first visit is focused on brain mapping. This is where we gather information about how your child’s brain is functioning.
Your child will sit in a chair while one of our PrTMS neurotechs places an EEG cap with sensors on their scalp. These sensors read brain activity that's already present. Nothing is being added or changed during this part of the appointment.
Some children sit comfortably the whole time. Others need breaks, extra time, or a slower start. If your child struggles with new environments or unfamiliar equipment, that's not unusual. Parents usually stay close by during setup, and we adjust the pace as needed so we can collect usable information without pushing past what your child can tolerate.
Not every child is able to complete the brain mapping on the first visit, and that's okay. Some children start treatment without an initial scan and gradually become more comfortable with the EEG cap as they continue. In those cases, brain mapping can happen later once your child has adjusted to the clinic environment.
Plan for the visit to take about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how the appointment goes. The qEEG brain mapping portion of your child's appointment will take approximately 45 minutes, as we map a total of 18 sites.
Questions We’ll Ask You
During the appointment, we’ll ask questions about your child and what you’re seeing day to day.
This isn’t a checklist conversation or a scripted interview. We’re listening for patterns, changes over time, and the things that don’t always show up in reports. What’s hard right now. What’s improved. What hasn’t shifted, even with support.
We’ll also ask what led you to look into brain treatment specifically. Not in a “sell us on it” way, but to understand what you’re hoping to get clarity on. Some parents are focused on regulation or sleep. Others are thinking about attention, flexibility, or emotional intensity. There’s no right or wrong answer here.
You don’t need to prepare anything special for this part. If something feels important to mention, even if it doesn’t fit neatly into a category, say it. These conversations help us interpret the brain mapping in context, rather than in isolation.
The Doctor Consultation
After the brain mapping appointment, your child’s results are reviewed by the doctor. The consultation itself happens over Zoom.
During this call, the doctor walks through the brain map with you and explains what stands out. You’ll talk about how those findings line up with what you’re seeing day to day and whether this pattern suggests PrTMS could be helpful.
In cases where brain mapping wasn't possible during the first visit, the doctor still conducts the consultation. She'll review your child's background history and your expectations to determine whether treatment makes sense to try.
This conversation isn’t rushed. You’ll have time to ask questions and get clear answers. If the doctor doesn’t believe this approach is likely to help your child, that will be stated directly. If it may be a fit, the discussion shifts to what treatment would involve.
The consultation with our doctor typically lasts about 30 to 45 minutes.
If Your Child Is a Candidate
If the doctor believes PrTMS may be appropriate for your child, you’ll be given a treatment plan.
The plan outlines which areas of the brain would be targeted and how many sessions are recommended. It’s based on your child’s brain map and the information you shared during the appointment, not on a preset package or timeline.
You don’t need to decide anything during the consultation. Many parents take time to review the plan, think it over, or talk it through at home. If and when you’re ready to move forward, we’ll schedule sessions in a way that works as well as possible with your routine.
Treatment sessions follow a consistent structure. For many children, that predictability helps them settle into the process more easily.
If you’d like a deeper look at how we understand autism and what it means for brain-based treatment, visit our autism page.
What the Clinic Is Like
Vancouver Brain Treatment Clinic is a quiet, professional space designed for clinical appointments. The environment is straightforward and low stimulation. We also keep a small selection of toys, sticker books, and occasional snacks available to help children feel more at ease during visits.
Our team works with children and families every day and understands that new environments can feel overwhelming. Appointments are not rushed, and we adjust the pace as needed. If a child needs time to settle or take a short break, that time is built into the visit.
A treatment room at Vancouver Brain Treatment Clinic.
Questions are welcome, and conversations don’t end because the clock runs out. The goal is for you to leave with a clearer understanding of whether this approach makes sense for your child, not with more questions than you came in with.
Timeline From Start to Finish
The process moves in stages, and how quickly it unfolds depends mostly on scheduling.
First, you book the brain mapping appointment and complete the intake forms. That visit happens in the clinic and usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half.
After that, the doctor reviews the brain mapping results and meets with you over Zoom for the consultation. This call typically lasts 30 to 45 minutes and is where you get a clear answer about whether PrTMS is worth considering for your child.
If your child is a candidate and you decide to move forward, treatment sessions are scheduled. Some families move through these steps quickly. Others take more time between stages. Both are fine.
The purpose of this timeline isn’t speed. It’s clarity at each step, so decisions aren’t rushed.
What Can Stay the Same
You don’t need to pause or stop other supports to come in for an assessment. We encourage families to continue with speech therapy, occupational therapy, school services, or behavioural supports while exploring brain treatment.
You also don’t need to prepare your child in any special way beyond what you already know works. Familiar routines, comfort items, and strategies you use for other appointments apply here too.
This first phase is about gathering information, not changing anything yet. The goal is to understand what’s happening and decide, with that information in hand, whether to take a next step.
How the Assessment and Consultation Fit Together
The first appointment and the doctor consultation serve different purposes.
The brain mapping appointment is about collecting information. It gives a picture of how your child’s brain is functioning at the time of the assessment.
The consultation is where that information is reviewed and discussed. It’s the point where the data is put into context, questions are answered, and you get a clear sense of whether this approach makes sense for your child.
Keeping these steps separate allows each part to be done well. It also gives you space between them, time to process what you’ve learned before deciding what comes next.
FAQs About Autism Brain Therapy
Can I bring siblings to the appointment?
Yes. That said, the brain mapping portion works best when your attention can stay on your child. If you have younger children who need active supervision, many families choose to bring another adult so one person can stay with siblings while the other supports the appointment.
How long does the first visit take?
Plan for about an hour to an hour and a half. The exact timing depends on how your child does with setup and how much time is needed to gather good data.
What if my child has trouble sitting still?
That’s common. Some children sit comfortably; others need breaks or a slower pace. We adjust as needed and work within what your child can tolerate. If there’s anything you know that tends to help in new environments, let us know ahead of time.
Do we need to stop other therapies before coming in?
No. We encourage you to continue with speech therapy, occupational therapy, school supports, or other services while completing the assessment process.
When will we hear back after the appointment?
After brain mapping, the results are reviewed by our doctor, and a Zoom consultation is scheduled. Timing depends on availability, but many families have the consult within days.
What if the doctor says this isn’t a good fit?
That’s part of the process. If PrTMS isn’t likely to help your child, we will be honest with you during the consultation. Our team will never push treatment that doesn’t make sense for your child.
Do we have to decide right away if we’re offered a treatment plan?
No. You’re free to take time to review our doctor’s treatment plan and think through next steps before deciding.
Exploring Brain Treatment for Autism
Exploring TMS for autism usually comes after a lot of thought. The first appointment isn’t a commitment to treatment. It’s a way to get clearer information about your child’s brain and whether this approach belongs in the mix.
If you decide to move forward, booking the initial brain mapping appointment is where the process starts.