Diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult because there is no medical test, like a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child's developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. ASD can sometimes be detected at 18 months of age or younger.
There are two distinct pathways when seeking an adult diagnosis. Assessments can be conducted by a psychologist, or by a psychiatrist, with experience in assessing autism. Both will conduct some form of standardised testing for autism and other conditions, such as ADHD or mood disorders, and provide you with a report.
The Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders lists signs and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder. For an autism diagnosis, children must have social communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive and/or sensory behaviours or interests.
A referral can be made by parents, legal guardians or professionals. The Autism Association of Western Australia provides autism assessments at no cost for eligible individuals aged 2-12 and 13-30 years. A GP, Consultant Psychiatrist, or Consultant Paediatrician referral is required.
Your GP needs a reason to refer you for diagnosis, so you will have to explain why you think you could be autistic, and how a diagnosis would benefit you. If you think you might want help with this, ask someone you know to come with you.
Your child will be evaluated by either a developmental pediatrician, a psychologist or with a team of professionals. Evaluations can range from one-and-a-half hours to four hours or longer, and may be done in one day or over a few visits.
Who is Qualified to Diagnose Autism: Developmental Pediatricians (Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians) Developmental pediatricians are medical doctors who possess the training and experience to diagnose autism and other developmental difficulties.
An ADOS-2 Assessment and report costs $600 – $800 + GST. A Full assessment which includes, screening, cognitive assessment, ADOS-2, Developmental interview and observational assessment costs $1100 + GST. An assessment may also require a speech pathologist and /or paediatrician report.
The 3 levels are: level 1: people requiring support. level 2: people requiring substantial support. level 3: people more severely affected and requiring very substantial support.
Defining the Traits and Behaviors of Level 1 Autism
Difficulty switching between activities. Problems with executive functioning which hinder independence. Atypical response to others in social situations. Difficulty initiating social interactions and maintaining reciprocity in social interaction.
If you still hear people use some of the older terms, you'll want to know what they mean: Asperger's syndrome. This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life.
Well-Child Visits
Pediatricians are the first step in the autism diagnosis process. Every child gets an assessment at their 18- and 24-month checkups to make sure they're on track, even if they don't seem to have any symptoms. At these visits, your child's pediatrician will watch them and talk to them.
Through a series of semi-structured observations, trained evaluators assess children's communication skills, social interaction, and imaginative use of materials. But over time, the ADOS has come to be considered the gold standard for a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Some people have complex needs, while autism affects other individuals in more subtle ways. Despite the challenges faced by many individuals with autism, they are the same as all people in many ways: every person has strengths, interests and potential. Autism is no longer considered to be a low incident disability.
With a Level 2 or Level 3 Autism diagnosis you are considered to have a permanent impairment of functional capacity and so the NDIS provides automatic access, no more assessments required.
Centrelink payment: Carer adjustment payment
If eligible, the maximum payment amount any family can receive is $10,000 for each child. There are several eligibility criteria, and the amount you receive is dependent on your family's circumstances. The payment is non-taxable.
Medicare rebates for assessment of Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorder (including Autism Spectrum Disorder) A number of services for people under 25 years of age are eligible for Medicare rebates if they are provided as part of a Diagnosis and/or Treatment Plan established by a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist.
NDIS provides funding for a range of services and support for people with disabilities. One of the services that NDIS funds are personal care support. This funding can be used to cover the cost of support workers who provide assistance with activities of daily living, such as showering, dressing, and eating.
People diagnosed with Level 2 ASD require moderate levels of support. This means that they may only be capable of limited social interactions, have limited interests, and frequently perform limited or repetitive behaviours. Individuals with Level 2 ASD diagnosis will automatically qualify to be an NDIS participant.
The previous DSM-4 categorized autism as separate diagnoses of Asperger's syndrome, PDD-NOS, autistic disorder, and CDD. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an autism information page with links to resources.
To make a diagnosis of ASD, psychologists draw on a number of sources of information: Patient interviews. Observations of the patient's behavior. Tests of cognitive and language abilities.
Inheritance. ASD has a tendency to run in families, but the inheritance pattern is usually unknown. People with gene changes associated with ASD generally inherit an increased risk of developing the condition, rather than the condition itself.
Neurologists: Neurologists can play a role in diagnosing autism by ruling out neurological disorders that may be causing the symptoms of autism. They perform neurological testing and developmental motor tests. Autism—its cause as well as its treatment—is still not clearly understood.