Child Autism Assessments
Child Autism Diagnostic Assessment (Ages 2-17)
A greater understanding of your young person’s neurodevelopmental profile can assist in identifying strengths, unique qualities and supports.
Our assessment team provides comprehensive psychology and learning assessments to accurately identify any underlying developmental difficulties your young person may be experiencing.
We understand different and diverse presentations and welcome referrals for people of all genders. We are attentive to the care needed when assessing girls, women, and gender-diverse people, who often go undiagnosed because they may present subtly compared to the more traditionally recognised characteristics.
Following the assessment you will be offered a feedback session to discuss the findings and receive a comprehensive report containing a range of recommendations and strategies.
It is important to note that we are a psychology-only assessment clinic therefore if you wish to explore medication or funding options, you may require additional consultation/assessment by a psychiatrist or paediatrician.
What does autism assessment involve?
A comprehensive Autism assessment involves observations with the young person, collection of supportive information from multiple sources (e.g. school/daycare) and a parent interview addressing the DSM-V Autism Spectrum Disorder criteria.
For children aged 8 and under our gold standard policy is to provide a multidisciplinary assessment which includes both a psychologist and a speech pathologist. For older children, the inclusion of a speech pathologist will be discussed at the pre-assessment consultation. The Kidd Clinic has some limited availability for speech assessment and you will be advised if this is required following your pre-assessment consultation. The clinician conducting your pre-assessment consultation will recommend additional appointments with other medical/health professionals if necessary.
Upon completion of the assessment, a comprehensive report will be provided and discussed during a feedback session.
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
Although PDA is not recognised in Australia and cannot be formally diagnosed, the PDA profile can occur in autistic individuals. Our psychologists are trained in identifying PDA characteristics and, if core features of PDA are exhibited in the assessment, a PDA profile will be discussed alongside recommendations and helpful strategies.
The Assessment Process
What is a pre-assessment consultation?
This is a 50-80 minute initial consultation which is required prior to all assessments at The Kidd Clinic. This allows the clinician to gather information about the client’s developmental history, discuss the assessment process, and answer any questions that arise.
This appointment allows our assessors to determine the most appropriate (if any) assessment/s and advise you on which assessment pathway to proceed with according to the client’s presentation and needs.
Rebates and referrals
You do not require a referral to be assessed at The Kidd Clinic, but if you have a referral please send it to assessments@kiddclinic.com.au when you enquire.
To claim a Medicare rebate for an Autism Diagnostic Assessment, very specific requirements must be met. The person must be under 25 years old and have been referred by a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist. Further information about the Medicare rebates for complex neurodevelopmental disorder assessments is available here.
Your assessment may be claimed on private health depending on your coverage. Please consult your health insurance provider regarding item number 100 for individual assessment.
Interim Individual Disability Allocation funding for students
After completing a pre-assessment consultation and booking a full assessment, we can provide a letter to the school which may be used for interim funding while you wait for the assessment to be completed.
Contact Us
Interested in our assessment services? Please complete the form below.
If you are interested in therapy, please head to our general enquiries form.