Autism assessment for children & teens
Autism (ASD) Assessment
An autism assessment answers whether a diagnosis fits, and comes with tailored recommendations for your child's Individual Education Plan.
On this page
What an autism assessment involves
Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition involving differences in social interaction, in reading social cues, and in communication. It can also present with repetitive behaviours or intensely focused interests. The symptoms vary widely in both range and intensity from one person to the next, which is exactly why it is described as a spectrum, and why an assessment has to look across several areas rather than testing for a single marker.
An assessment brings together what you and your child’s teachers already observe and what standardized instruments can measure, and puts the two alongside each other.
Where learning and attention are also in question, a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment covers those. For adults seeking an autism diagnosis, see the adult autism spectrum disorder assessment.
What the assessment evaluates
Autism presents differently from person to person, which is why it is called a spectrum, and why the assessment looks across several areas rather than testing for one thing.
Social interaction and communication
How your child reads and responds to social cues, and how they communicate across different settings and people.
Behaviour and interests
Repetitive behaviours and focused or unusual interests, and how they vary in range and intensity.
Cognitive ability and language
Cognitive abilities, language skills and overall functioning, measured with standardized instruments.
Sensory processing
How your child processes sensory information. Many autistic people experience sensory sensitivities.
What the process looks like
Interview with parents or caregivers
An in-depth interview gathering insight into your child's behaviour, social interactions, communication, developmental milestones, medical history and family history, so the assessment reads behaviour in context.
Questionnaires and checklists
Parents, caregivers and sometimes teachers complete standardized questionnaires and a checklist, so the picture is not built from one setting alone.
Standardized testing
Standardized instruments including the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) evaluate cognitive abilities, language skills and overall functioning, alongside measures of sensory processing.
Feedback session
A full explanation of the report and any diagnosis, including how the results may affect your child's learning, worldview and social interactions, with tailored recommendations for an effective Individual Education Plan.
Parent advocacy
A workshop and individual sessions with a parent advocate, included in the service: help acting on a diagnosis and working out the next steps, rather than being handed a report and left to it.
The people behind your child's report
Testing is administered by a psychometrist and supervised, reviewed and signed by a psychologist.
Good to know
- Where & how
- In person or Online.
- Support that often follows
Ask about an assessment
Prefer to write first? Tell us who the assessment is for and an Intake Specialist will get back to you.
Ready when you are. We're here to listen.
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