Autism assessments
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We provide ‘gold standard’ autism assessment. This means our assessments follow the NICE guidelines (National Institute for Clinical Excellence).
Autism is one of the many ways human beings can be neuro diverse. Neuro diversity refers to the way different peoples’ brains work and learn. We always aim to be neuro diversity affirming. This means we celebrate and positively acknowledge the differences neuro divergence creates. We aim to support an individual’s neuro divergent identity, whilst offering acknowledgement and support for the challenges that can occur in the world that we live in.
We approach the children and young people we work with from a strengths-based perspective; exploring how to build on strengths and identify each child or young person’s unique needs.
Who we are
In our autism assessment team we have Joy Rondet, Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Cat Proom, Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist and Suzanne Platt Clinical Pyschologist.
Find out more about us here
As a Speech and Language Therapy led team, we are passionate about exploring and supporting the communication, speech and language development of autistic young people. #
Our Clinical Psychologist Suzanne has extensive experience in completing complex neurodevelopmental and autism assessments for children, adolescents and young adults, ensuring that all aspects of their strengths, abilities and challenges are better understood. Alongside this, she provides expertise in the impact of additional factors such as anxiety, trauma and attachment.
What does Autism assessment involve?
To begin we offer a free telephone consultation to discuss what you are looking for and whether an assessment is appropriate for your child.
If you wish to go ahead, we will arrange a time and place for each part of the assessment. We will talk to you about your child’s needs and decide the best environment for assessment and who they are comfortable with being present.
To follow National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines we use the ‘gold standard’ autism assessment tools:
An online appointment with parents to complete a developmental history (using the Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised)
We will ask questions to gather information about your child’s background, their early development, how they have learnt language so far, their communication skills, their social and play development their interests, behaviour and sensory needs. This appointment can last up to 3 hours.
This is usually completed online via Zoom. It can be split into 2 or 3 meetings if needed.
An observation assessment using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2)
The ADOS-2 explores communication, social interaction and imaginative use of materials designed to help us see behaviours that are relevant to a diagnosis of autism. The assessment incorporates the use of pre-planned situations in which a behaviour of a particular type is likely to appear.
This can be conducted in your home or at a clinic in Bedminster, Bristol. The assessment takes around 1-1.5 hours to complete.
We also gather information from your child’s school or nursery using a questionnaire. Sometimes we may visit your child at school.
Further assessment tools may be used but this will depend on the age of your child and their needs and will be discussed with you/your child at the time.
After we have completed the online appointment (developmental history), observation appointment and questionnaire we meet as professionals to discuss at all the information we have. We look at it alongside the criteria for autism diagnosis in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual V, DSMV. If your child meets these criteria they will receive an autism diagnosis. If they do not, we will provide advice and support on next steps and other possible explanations for the differences or difficulties your child may have.
We write up all the information we have gathered in a report. We then have a meeting with you; for you to ask questions, for us to talk about what we found out and share whether your child meets the criteria for autism or not. We will talk to you about what support may be helpful for you and/or your child.
Is a private diagnosis recognised?
There is no legal basis for the NHS or your Local Authority to reject a private diagnosis, providing the assessment procedure was in line with NICE guidelines. Should this happen to you, you would be within your rights to make an official complaint using the appropriate complaints procedure. If you are advised that a private diagnosis report will be ignored, this is incorrect advice.
How long does an autism assessment with ChildSpeech take?
We aim to complete all autism assessments within 6 weeks from the first appointment date.
How much does an autism assessment with ChildSpeech cost?
The cost will range from £1800 to £2000 depending on the amount of input needed at school/nursery. We will discuss the need for this with you at the beginning of the assessment.