Hopscotch & Harmony
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Mission, Vision, Values
    • What to Expect
    • How We Are Doing
  • Our Team
  • Services
    • Mental Health Services >
      • Child & Adolescent Counselling
      • Adult Counselling
      • Online Therapy
      • Study Without Stress Program
    • Assessment Clinic >
      • Autism Assessments
      • Cognitive Assessments
      • Educational Assessments
    • Dietetics & Nutrition >
      • Teen & Adult Dietetic & Nutrition Clinic
      • Paediatric Dietetics & Nutrition
      • Feeding Clinic
    • Organisational Wellness
  • Parenting Course - online
  • Join our team!
    • Psychologist
    • Intern Provisional Psychologist Program
    • Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Dietitian Positions
  • Blog
  • Book!
    • Contact

Autism Spectrum Disorder: How is it diagnosed in children and adolescents?

25/4/2018

 
Sarah Gatt, Psychologist
Picture

​What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterised by difficulties in the core areas of social communication and language, together with restricted, repetitive behaviours, interests, or activities.

The presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorder varies considerably between individuals. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment is needed.

Who Makes a Diagnosis?

In Victoria, best practice for an Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment involves a multidisciplinary team. This means that multiple professionals work together to carry out a wide-range of assessments.

A multidisciplinary team usually includes: a paediatrician or child psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a speech pathologist. In addition, other professionals might also be included, such as an occupational therapist. All professionals come together to bring insight based on their areas of expertise.

What might be involved in a comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment?

An Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment involves an in-depth analysis of your child’s
developmental and medical history, as well as an assessment of your child’s current strengths and challenges. Each professional gathers this information over multiple sessions. Generally, they will do this through:
  • A parent/caregiver session, whereby the professional will ask you about your child’s developmental history and current presentation. Each professional will ask you questions about your child’s development in their own areas of expertise.
  • Screening questionnaires, which are forms completed by parents/caregivers and teachers regarding your child. These help to gain further information regarding characteristics and behaviours that may be associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Child observations, where the professionals will meet your child and complete formal assessment tasks and observations. Areas that the professionals may assess and observe, include your child’s communication, social interactions, play and behaviours.
  • Talking with teachers and/or completing classroom observations. With your consent, the professionals may liaise with your child’s childcare staff or teacher to help gain an overall picture of your child’s development.
Each professional will use the information they have gathered to write a report outlining the assessment results. These assessment results will be discussed with you and you will receive a copy of the report.

Once each of the professionals has completed their assessment report, the paediatrician or child psychiatrist will bring all the results together and make the final decision as to whether the criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder is met.

Where do I start?

If you would like to discuss your situation and the possibility of Autism Spectrum Disorder, please book in an appointment with one of our psychologists experienced in the assessment and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Alternatively if you are sure you would like an assessment you can make an appointment to see your G.P. and request a referral to see a paediatrician. The paediatrician will do an initial assessment of your concerns and may then refer you to a psychologist and a speech pathologist for a multi-disciplinary ASD assessment. 
Picture
Sarah Gatt is a Hopscotch and Harmony Psychologist passionate about providing early intervention services to young children in order to help aid their development and reach their full potential. She creates a warm and safe therapeutic environment for children, by providing therapy in a creative and individualised manner. Sarah consults from our Werribee practice.

Comments are closed.
    Request an appointment!

    Categories

    All
    Adolescence
    Alexandria Emmett
    Anger
    Anxiety
    ASD
    Assertiveness
    Attachment
    Autism Spectrum Disorder
    Body Image
    Body Intelligence
    Body Scan
    Breathing
    Bullying
    Burnout
    Child Development
    Child Safety
    Cognitive Assessment
    Communication
    Cyberbullying
    Deep Pressure
    Dietetics
    Discipline
    Eating Disorders
    Education
    Fathers
    Food
    Gaming
    Gratitude
    Grief And Loss
    Grit
    Growth Mindset
    Healthy Attachment
    Hilary Sanders
    Home Education
    Infant Mental Health
    Inspirational Quotes
    LGBTIQA+
    Medicare
    Mental-imagery
    Mindfulness
    Motivation
    Music
    Negative
    New-years-resolution
    Nighttime-fears
    Nutrition
    Obsessive-compulsive-disorder
    Occupational Therapy
    Online Counselling
    Parenting
    Play Therapy
    Relationship
    Resilience
    Self-belief
    Self-care
    Self-esteem
    Self-harm
    Sensory Processing
    Separation Anxiety
    Sex Education
    Shame
    Sibling Rivalry
    Social Media
    Social Skills
    Sport
    Stress
    Suicide
    Tamsyn White
    Teasing
    Technology
    Telehealth
    Therapy Ideas
    Transgender
    Video Games

    RSS Feed

our services


Adult Counselling
Paediatric Counselling
Autism Assessments
​
Cognitive assessments
Parenting Support​
Dietetics & Nutrition

Our practice values


Belonging
Courage

Integrity

contact us


Hopscotch & Harmony
​Child, Teen and Adult Psychology
1/167-179 Shaws Rd
Werribee 3030
​Ph: 97415222
92 Roslyn Rd
Belmont 3216
​Ph: 52416462
Fax: 03 8669 4076
© ​2022 Hopscotch and Harmony Pty Ltd
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Mission, Vision, Values
    • What to Expect
    • How We Are Doing
  • Our Team
  • Services
    • Mental Health Services >
      • Child & Adolescent Counselling
      • Adult Counselling
      • Online Therapy
      • Study Without Stress Program
    • Assessment Clinic >
      • Autism Assessments
      • Cognitive Assessments
      • Educational Assessments
    • Dietetics & Nutrition >
      • Teen & Adult Dietetic & Nutrition Clinic
      • Paediatric Dietetics & Nutrition
      • Feeding Clinic
    • Organisational Wellness
  • Parenting Course - online
  • Join our team!
    • Psychologist
    • Intern Provisional Psychologist Program
    • Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Dietitian Positions
  • Blog
  • Book!
    • Contact