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Preparing for a child's autism assessment?

7 things to know before seeking a diagnosis


Child and woman converse on a couch with toys in background. Text reads: Preparing for a child's autism assessment? 7 things to know.

Are you wondering whether your child’s struggles could be due to autism? Receiving an autism diagnosis can bring clarity, helping you and your child understand behaviours that might have previously seemed confusing or overwhelming.


A diagnosis doesn’t define your child's identity or limit their potential, but it can help explain challenges such as sensory issues, communication delays, or social difficulties.

 

An autism report will also help you access support, services, and educational placements that are available to autistic people in Ireland.


Step 1. What credentials to look for in a psychologist?


Check the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) website to confirm that your psychologist is a Chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI). Because there is currently no regulation of psychologists in Ireland, it may be easy for an individual who has not completed the full psychologist training to offer autism assessments. 

 

Any chartered psychologist will be more than happy to clarify their credentials and qualifications to you and will understand why you need to request this information.


Step 2. What information will your psychologist need?


Most clinicians ask what your child was like around set ages. They might ask about your child's birth, their life and any mental health concerns, their learning needs, their medical history, and about significant life events.

The clinician will always want to spend time with the child being assessed and get to know them. They'll watch how your child interacts with others, observe how they may react to different situations, and will likely use a standardised test/ tool to help them with this. The clinician may ask the child to talk on certain topics, to do puzzles and/or play games with them.

If the child is older, they will likely ask questions about their own experience of autistic traits and their understanding of self.


Step 3. What will the clinician be assessing?


The clinician will be looking to see:

• Are there current and past differences in social communication (e.g., is there a preference to communicate without eye contact)?

• Are their interests and focuses that are specific or intense or passionate?

• Is there a difference in the sensory experience of the world (e.g. might be very sensitive to noise)?

They may want to assess cognitive abilities, such as what sort of tasks the child can do independently and at school.


Step 4. What characteristics lead to autism diagnosis?


In general, to be diagnosed as Autistic, children must show differences in these three core areas:

  • Social-emotional reciprocity: This describes back-and-forth conversation between people, where they respond to each other’s words, actions, and emotions in a way that shows mutual understanding


  • Language and non-verbal communication: This includes possible speech delays, as well as eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, and body movements

  • Repetitive behaviours and restricted interests: Autistic children may engage in self-stimulatory behaviours (often referred to as “stimming”) such as flapping arms, hands or objects, finger-flicking, hair twirling, rocking, or spinning when they are feeling excited, anxious or over-stimulated. They may also have highly focused interests (often referred to as “special interests”) that they feel passionate about and spend a lot of their time absorbed in.


Step 5. How does autism diagnosis work remotely?


The ADOS (The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule), used during in-person assessments, is currently considered a gold standard of assessment tools in diagnosing autism. A diagnosis should not be given based on the ADOS alone. The ADOS is designed to be used alongside a number of other standardised measures of ASD, a parental interview, a child interview (if suitable) and clinical observations carried out by the professional.


The Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) used for remote assessments, is another gold-standard tool for formal diagnosis, treatment planning, and educational planning. It is a structured interview used to assess individuals suspected of having autism or other autism spectrum disorders. It is typically conducted with the parents or caregivers. It can be used alongside several other standardised measures of ASD for a comprehensive evaluation.


For very young children being assessed a direct observation may be required in preschool, in a school setting.


Step 6. How long does it take to receive a report?

All data is gathered, assessed and investigated to determine if the person meets the criteria set to give a diagnosis. Full diagnostic reports can take up to 10 weeks to complete so it is important to know there will be a wait time for results.


Step 7. What should the diagnostic report include?

While there is some variation, a diagnostic report will often include:

• Credentials of assessor

• Background and reasons for assessment

• Demographics of child

• Standardised tests used (with descriptions).

• Results of tests (you will usually see tables here)

• Interpretation of tests

• Parent narrative/feedback arising from the interview

• Child narrative/feedback arising from the interview

• Conclusion and summary of needs and strengths

• Recommendations.


The recommendations of the diagnosing professional are crucial when it comes to applying for certain school supports and even social welfare payments. These recommendations should go across multiple domains of the child's life: school, home, community, etc.


We find that parents who were expecting an autism diagnosis are often relieved because it helps them understand why their child thinks, feels and acts the way they do.

By understanding themselves at an earlier age, autistic people can feel empowered and start to access support and services earlier.

While the assessment process can be a stressful and worrying time for parents, remember that if you look after yourself, you’ll be better able to meet your child’s needs and help them thrive.



At BetterCare™, we offer assessments, interventions, and ongoing support tailored to the unique needs of each individual. We also help families and educators better understand autism.


Contact us today to learn more about our autism assessments for adults and children or click on one of the links below to book an assessment.









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