Seven years after that, autism was more clearly defined in the revised edition (DSM-IIIR, 1987). It was not until 12 years later that “infantile autism” had its own category (DSM-III, 1980). In their first mention of autism, the American Psychiatric Association described children who exhibited “autistic, atypical and withdrawn behavior,” but this was part of the diagnostic criteria for childhood schizophrenia ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, DSM-II, 1968). Unfortunately, most investigations have included children on the entire autism spectrum rather than those clinically assessed as having classical autism or Kanner syndrome. Rimland published a revised version which appeared in later editions of his book and is still distributed and scored free of charge by the Autism Research Institute. The first version, titled the Diagnostic Checklist for Behavior-Disturbed Children, appeared in his 1964 seminal book Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior. Bernard Rimland developed a checklist for professionals and parents that was designed specifically to diagnose Kanner’s syndrome or classical autism. You do not have to have a formal diagnosis of autism to start this process.A few years later, Dr. You should also consider requesting an assessment for an Education, Health and Care plan to ensure your child's educational needs are promptly assessed. The Coram Family and Childcare Trust have an online Family Information Service finder to find your local service. In most cases this will be published on your council's website. The best way to do this is through the 'Local Offer' - this is the directory of local services for children and young people with special needs and disabilities that every local authority must publish by law. However, this is not always the case and there is no 'standard model', so it's important to find out as much as you can about your local pathway. Some professionals offer telephone advice or regular visits with your child. What happens following a diagnosis also depends on where you live. More information about the diagnosis process and diagnosis criteria can be found in our parent toolkit. Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R).Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO).Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).The chosen tool may vary but these are some of the most common diagnostic tools used in the UK: Alternatively you might be referred directly for a diagnosis appointment normally at a clinic, a health centre or a child development centre.ĭuring an autism diagnosis, clinicians use a diagnostic tool for profiling autism to determine whether or not the person is autistic. In some areas the assessment might involve the GP or health visitor coming to visit your child at home or at their nursery, or you may be invited to a 'screening playgroup'. This team might include a paediatrician, an educational psychologist, a child psychiatrist or a speech and language therapist (SaLT), for example.įurther information about these different roles can be found in our parent toolkit. In its autism guidelines, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that every local area should have a multi-disciplinary team who will carry out the autism diagnostic assessment. What will happen at the assessment?Įxactly how the assessment is carried out depends on your local authority. To help you collect your family history and evidence of your concerns, we have created an observational diary in our parent toolkit which you can use to track and record your child's development. The professional you speak to will want to know what is causing you concern and will evaluate whether your child needs an assessment. You will need to have a conversation with your GP or health visitor in order to request a referral for a paediatric assessment. Getting an autism assessment is important for several reasons. An autism diagnosis will provide you with important information about your child's development and behaviour and could enable you to unlock further support to meet their needs.Įven if you're not sure about whether your child is autistic, going through the assessment process may help you to better understand and cater for your child's needs.
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