speech therapists in Shenton Park and Success

Autism Diagnostic Assessment

Name: Autism Diagnostic Assessment
Brand: Kid Speak
Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

Understanding your child. Celebrating their strengths. Supporting their needs.

Are you wondering if your child may be Autistic?

Perhaps you have noticed differences in the way your child communicates, plays, connects with others, manages change, experiences sensory input or navigates everyday life. Perhaps your child has always seemed to experience the world a little differently, or their needs have become more noticeable as the expectations around them have increased.

If you are considering an Autism assessment, you do not have to navigate the process alone.

What is Autism?

Autism is a neuro-developmental and neuro-biological difference that can influence how a person communicates, connects with others, processes information and experiences the world around them.

Autistic children are wonderfully diverse. There is no single way to be Autistic and children may have very different strengths, support needs and ways of communicating. Some children may have obvious differences from a young age, while others may develop skills that allow them to adapt to, or mask, their differences. For some children, their needs may become more apparent when social, communication or emotional demands increase at school.

An Autism assessment is not about identifying what is “wrong” with a child. Instead, it aims to develop a clearer understanding of how your child experiences and interacts with the world, their strengths and interests, areas where they need need extra support, and whether their developmental profile is consistent with Autism. A diagnosis can provide families with greater understanding and may help children access appropriate supports, accommodations and services.

At Kid Speak our assessments are neuro-affirming, individualised and follow current Australian best-practice recommendations for Autism assessment and the diagnostic requirements for the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that are relevant to Western Australia.

Could an Autism assessment be helpful for my child?

Every child is different, and experiencing one or two of the characteristics below does not necessarily mean that a child is Autistic. However, you may wish to consider an assessment if you notice a pattern of differences that is affecting your child’s everyday life, participation, relationships, learning or well-being.

Communication differences

Your child may:

communicate differently from other children their age
find back-and-forth conversations difficult
talk extensively about particular interests or preferred topics
find it difficult to know how much information to share with another person
use language in a very literal way or have difficulty interpreting implied meanings
have difficulty understanding or using gestures, facial expressions or other non-verbal communication
have differences in how they respond to their name or to spoken language
use scripted, repeated or memorised phrases
have periods of reduced or increased communication depending on the situation
communicate effectively in some environments but find communication much harder in others.

Social interaction and play

You may notice that your child:

prefers to play independently or alongside rather than directly with other children
finds it difficult to join or maintain group play
has strong preferences about how games or play should happen
finds the unwritten rules of social interaction difficult to work out
has difficulty navigating friendships
prefers predictable or familiar social interactions
has a strong preference for particular people, activities or topics
approaches social interaction in ways that are different from their peers.

Repetitive movements, routines and interests

Your child may:

have strong or highly focused interests
enjoy repeating particular activities, games, movements or sounds
seek out repetition or predictability
become distressed when routines or expectations change unexpectedly
have a strong preference for doing things in a particular way
find transitions between activities difficult
become deeply absorbed in particular interests or activities.

Sensory experiences

Your child may experience the sensory world differently. For example, they may:

be particularly sensitive to sounds, lights, smells, textures or clothing
seek out movement, pressure, touch or other sensory experiences
appear to notice sensory information that others do not
become overwhelmed in busy or unpredictable environments
have strong preferences around food textures, smells or presentation
need particular sensory experiences to feel comfortable, regulated or ready to participate.

Regulation and everyday functioning

You may also notice that your child:

becomes overwhelmed after holding things together during the day
needs significant downtime after school or social activities
has difficulty managing unexpected changes
experiences intense emotional responses when overwhelmed
appears to cope well in some environments but becomes distressed at home
needs significant support with transitions, routines or daily activities
has differences in attention, flexibility or executive functioning
appears to “mask” or copy peers in social situations.

Importantly, these characteristics can occur for many different reasons. An Autism assessment considers the whole child, including their developmental history, communication, behaviour, strengths, environment and other possible explanations for their experiences.

How does my child receive an Autism Diagnosis?

In Perth, Western Australia, the first step is to ensure you have a referral from your paediatrician.

From there, diagnosing ASD involves assessments from three specialists trained in The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS):

A Paediatrician,
A Psychologist,
A Speech Pathologist.

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Kid Speak CSnapwithD CDemiMammoliti 0063 Kid Speak Speech Therapy Perth

What does an Autism Diagnostic Assessment Involve?

At Kid Speak, we aim to make the assessment process clear, respectful and as comfortable as possible for both children and families. Our Speech Pathology assessment forms one component of the broader Autism diagnostic process. The assessment will include:

1. Parent or caregiver interview

We begin by getting to know your child’s story. We will talk with you about your child’s development, communication, play, relationships, interests, sensory experiences, routines, regulation and everyday participation. We will also discuss your concerns, your child’s strengths and what you would like to understand or achieve through the assessment. You may be asked to provide information from other people who know your child well, such as educators, teachers or other health professionals.

2. Autism-specific assessment with your child

Your Speech Pathologist will spend time with your child using developmentally appropriate activities and interactions. Where clinically appropriate, we use the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) as part of the assessment. The ADOS-2 provides a structured way of observing communication, social interaction, play and other behaviours relevant to Autism.

Note: The ADOS-2 is one component of an Autism assessment. It does not determine a diagnosis on its own. Your child’s assessment will be interpreted alongside their developmental history, information from caregivers and other relevant professionals, and the broader diagnostic process.

3. Collaboration with other professionals

Autism diagnosis is a collaborative process. In Western Australia, children may require input from appropriately qualified medical and allied health professionals as part of the diagnostic pathway. Depending on your child’s age, developmental profile and individual circumstances, this may include a paediatrician, psychologist and Speech Pathologist.

Kid Speak provides the Speech Pathology component of the Autism diagnostic assessment and can work collaboratively with your child’s existing health professionals.

4. Comprehensive report

Following the assessment, we will prepare a comprehensive report outlining relevant findings.

Rather than focusing only on areas of difficulty, we aim to provide a balanced picture of your child’s:

strengths and interests
communication profile
social interaction and play
sensory and regulation needs
developmental characteristics
functional support needs
areas where additional support or accommodations may be helpful.

5. Feedback

We want you to leave the assessment with a clearer understanding of your child, not simply a report. A feedback appointment can be used to discuss the findings, answer your questions and talk through recommendations and next steps.

Group 106 Kid Speak Speech Therapy Perth

Group 107 Kid Speak Speech Therapy Perth

Our Autism Diagnostic Services

Are you concerned that your child may need an assessment, yet haven’t been to a paediatrician? You can always visit us first.

We can speak to you and informally assess your child to determine whether they may be showing clinical traits of ASD. From there, we can discuss whether pursuing an Autism Diagnostic Assessment would be beneficial.

Some rebates may be available through your Paediatrician.

Neuro-Affirming approach to Autism assessments

At Kid Speak, the way we assess children matters just as much as what we assess. Our Autism assessments are grounded in a neuro-affirming, strengths-based approach. This means we do not view Autism as something that needs to be “fixed”, nor do we expect children to behave in a particular neurotypical way during their assessment. Instead, we seek to understand your child’s individual communication style, preferences, strengths, interests and support needs.

We will:

respect your child’s individual communication style
avoid requiring eye contact as evidence of social engagement
recognise different forms of communication and interaction
consider the context in which behaviours occur
consider masking and the effort involved in adapting to social expectations
recognise that behaviour can be a form of communication
provide opportunities for your child to take breaks and regulate
adapt our interactions to support your child’s communication and sensory needs
consider your child’s strengths and interests alongside areas of support need
listen to the perspectives of your child and family
use respectful, non-stigmatising language

This approach is consistent with the current National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia, which includes recommendations for strengths-focused, culturally responsive and neurodiversity-affirming assessment.

Neuro-affirming does not mean lowering the diagnostic standard.

We can provide a warm, child-centred assessment experience while still undertaking a thorough clinical assessment and considering the diagnostic criteria and evidence required for Autism diagnosis.

FAQ

Autism can be assessed across childhood and adolescence. The most appropriate assessment pathway depends on your child’s age, developmental profile and individual circumstances. If you are unsure whether your child is the right age or whether an assessment is appropriate, please contact our team to discuss your concerns.

Children communicate and participate in different ways, particularly in unfamiliar environments. We will take your child’s individual communication, sensory and regulation needs into account and aim to create an environment where they can participate as comfortably as possible.

If your child’s presentation during an appointment does not provide enough information for a reliable assessment, we will discuss this with you rather than making assumptions based on a single interaction.

You can contact Kid Speak without already having a paediatrician. However, the Speech Pathology component provided by Kid Speak is not, by itself, a complete Autism diagnosis. We can help you understand the assessment pathway and, where appropriate, support you to connect with the other professionals required for your child’s diagnostic process.

No. An NDIS plan is not required to enquire about or access a private Autism assessment.

Assessment fees and available Medicare or private health rebates vary depending on the circumstances and should be discussed with our team and your referring medical practitioner.

Yes. Families will receive a written report following completion of the Speech Pathology component of the assessment. The report will explain the assessment findings and provide recommendations relevant to your child’s strengths, needs and everyday participation.

Kid Speak’s Speech Pathologist does not make an Autism diagnosis independently as part of this service. Our role is to provide the Speech Pathology component of the diagnostic process and collaborate with the relevant professionals involved in your child’s assessment. The final diagnostic outcome depends on the complete clinical assessment and the professionals involved in your child’s diagnostic pathway.

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