What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects how people communicate and interact with others, their behaviour and how they make sense of the world. It is a developmental condition that typically lasts throughout a person’s lifetime.

Autism was previously divided into different diagnoses, including Autism, Asperger’s disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS). Now under DSM-5, all these diagnoses fall under the one term, Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The key features of Autism are:

  • Deficits in social-emotional behaviour, ranging from abnormal or inappropriate social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions appropriately.
  • Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviours used for social interaction, ranging from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and using gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.
  • Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.
  • Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, such as lining up toys, repetitive body movements of jumping, flapping or spinning, or repetitive speech.
  • Inflexible adherence to routines, or patterns or verbal nonverbal behaviour such as rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day, and distressed if routines are changed without warning or preparation. Furthermore, a pattern of restricted interests or obsessive interest in certain topics or toys or things that tend to dominate their play or conversations.
  • Sensory sensitivity to the environment around them. This can present as being sensitive to touch by others; being distressed by having their nails and hair cut, their hair washed or brushed; being a very fussy eater, or only eating certain types of foods by texture or colour; or having sensitive hearing.

Whilst there are some shared symptoms, it is important to remember that each person with Autism experiences these symptoms in different ways. The term autism “spectrum” is used to emphasise that Autism is different in every person with a diagnosis, and each individual presents with their own unique set of abilities and challenges.

Why assess for Autism?
Autism can typically be diagnosed in children from approximately two years of age, when it becomes apparent that they are not meeting their developmental milestones. However, symptoms of Autism can be subtle and may not become obvious until a child starts school or transitions to adulthood.

If your paediatrician or other professionals involved with your child raise a concern regarding autism and are encouraging an assessment, it is advisable to begin the process as soon as possible. The reasons for this include:

  • A diagnosis can give access to funding (depending on your child’s age), which can assist in providing therapeutic interventions early
  • Teachers and schools will have information that will allow them to more effectively support your child
  • Your child will be entitled to accommodations and disability provisions (if needed)
  • You will gain a better understanding of how your child processes the world
  • Your child can begin to understand themselves better and know that they are connected to a larger group of people on the autism spectrum This is plagiarised – could be reworded

If your child is assessed and does not receive a diagnosis, a comprehensive assessment process still has immense value: it can help reveal specific reasons for a child’s challenges and the most effective support recommended for them.

What is involved in assessing Autism?
In Western Australia, assessment and diagnosis for Autism occurs by addressing the DSM-5-TR criteria. For children, an assessment can be completed individually by a Paediatrician, Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist, often in collaboration with other allied health providers such as a speech pathologist or occupational therapist OR assessments can be completed as a multidisciplinary team, depending on the information required to reach a consensus about your child’s presentation.

At Autism Assessments Perth, we are a Clinical Psychologist and Speech Therapist who work together. Your child will usually have seen a Paediatrician, who has recommended that you pursue an Autism assessment.

Assessments are usually structured by completing pre-assessment questionnaires in the lead up to the appointment. On the day, your child will be assessed using either the MIGDAS or ADOS assessment tools. During this time your child’s language may also be assessed and a comprehensive observation will take place. We then meet with parents to discuss your child’s developmental history and to perform a structured interview addressing the DSM-5-TR criteria for Autism. Consultation occurs between the assessors throughout the process, with discussion about the assessment results and diagnosis occurring as soon as possible. A written report is provided, which we aim to complete within 7-10 working days.

Older children may be asked to have a cognitive assessment, and if younger children do not have a speech therapist then our speech pathologist may assess your child’s expressive and receptive language skills in a separate appointment if required. For children attending day care or school, we sometimes recommend a school observation, usually scheduled after the assessment date should this be required.