Diagnostic assessments aim to:
- clarify whether diagnostic criteria is met for autism spectrum disorder
- assess for developmental issues, behavioural problems, learning difficulties, psychological difficulties, stressors, or kinder/school related problems,
- understand your child’s current presentation and conceptualise their difficulties,
- provide information about your child’s current level of functioning,
- identify their strengthens and weaknesses,
- provide recommendations and suggest interventions to assist with their development, learning, and behaviour.
Assessments:
This is to assess for the possibility of an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It involves parental consultation, individual assessment using ‘gold standard’ tools, developmental or cognitive assessment (if needed), and educational observations or consultation as required.
Two diagnostic assessment pathways for ASD are available. A psychology only assessment, or a multidisciplinary ‘All in One’ team assessment (including consultant paediatrician, clinical psychologist, and speech pathologist).
This is to provide information into your child’s cognitive functioning, and their strengths and weaknesses. It can help determine intellectual disability / impairment or high intellectual potential. Recommendations are made to assist with development, learning and/or classroom behaviour.
This is to identify your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses, inform diagnosis of specific learning difficulties (in the areas of reading, written expression, spelling, and maths), and help plan intervention.
This is to assess young children’s early intellectual development, or developmental trends. This can give useful information about specific areas of delay or whether your child is experiencing global delay across more than one area (including cognition and learning, language and communication, fine and gross motor, and personal-social-emotional development). This is helpful when planning early intervention or placement in educational settings.
This involves understanding your child’s presentation and their functioning across various settings. Information is collected through interview, observations and questionnaires. Clinical impressions are relayed to the family in feedback with a diagnosis (if applicable). Recommendations for intervention are made.