AtSouthDam, "looking and giving honest smiles" does not in the least rule out autism, especially in a bright girl. Girls on the spectrum know they're supposed to make eye contact, and they try, but it often has an odd quality, the timing of their glances is unusual and/or short. The looking away while listening is one strategy some of them use (though that alone is not diagnostic of autism, it's a feature that should be considered).
If it were my child, I'd seek a second opinion with someone who has seen a LOT of girls on the spectrum, and a lot of gifted kids. There are tons of misconceptions about what it means to rule out autism, and the statement about eye contact is a red flag for me if it's the main evidence they used.
Did they give the ADOS or any other autism rating scale?
HTH,
DeeDee
