Autism Assessment
Wondering if an autism assessment is right for your child?
Learn more about our assessment process below or reach out for a free consultation.
Understanding the process can make an autism assessment feel much less overwhelming. At LittleKind Psychology, we take a thoughtful, neuro-affirming, and individualized approach to autism assessment, considering your child’s unique strengths, experiences, and support needs.
Our goal is not simply to determine whether your child meets diagnostic criteria. We want to develop a meaningful understanding of how your child experiences and navigates the world, and provide recommendations that can support them at home, at school, and in their community.
Autism Assessment Process
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We start by getting to know your child and your concerns.
The assessment begins with an initial consultation with you as the parent or caregiver. We’ll talk about your reasons for seeking an assessment, your child’s developmental history, current strengths and challenges, and any questions or concerns you have.
This is also an opportunity to discuss whether an autism assessment is the right fit for your child and to answer any questions you may have about the process.
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Your perspective is an important part of the assessment.
We’ll gather detailed information about your child’s development, including areas such as:
Early development and milestones
Communication and language development
Social relationships and interactions
Play and interests
Sensory experiences
Emotional and behavioural functioning
Adaptability and responses to change
School and learning experiences
Daily living skills
Strengths, interests, and areas of enjoyment
Depending on your child’s age and circumstances, we may also ask you to complete questionnaires about your child’s development and current functioning.
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We spend time getting to know your child through standardized testing and semi-structured interview
Your child will participate in activities designed to explore areas relevant to autism, including social communication, interaction, flexibility, play, and patterns of behaviour and interests.
The specific assessment activities are selected based on your child’s age, developmental level, communication style, and individual needs.
We aim to make the assessment experience as comfortable and engaging as possible. Children are not expected to perform perfectly or "act" a certain way. We are interested in understanding how they naturally communicate, interact, problem-solve, and respond to different situations.
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Autism diagnosis is based on the whole picture.
Following the assessment, we carefully integrate information from multiple sources, including:
Parent interview and developmental history
Questionnaires
Direct observation and assessment
Existing records and reports
Your child's current functioning
Clinical observations
We consider your child's strengths and challenges across different environments and stages of development, rather than relying on the results of a single test or observation.
We also consider alternative explanations and co-occurring concerns when appropriate. You'll receive a detailed report that you can use to guide next steps.
Your written report will summarize the assessment findings and provide individualized recommendations based on your child's needs.
We aim to make recommendations practical and individualized, rather than providing a generic list of autism resources.
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You won't be left wondering what the results mean.
Once the assessment is complete, we meet with you to review the findings and answer your questions.
We’ll discuss:
The assessment results
Your child's strengths
Areas of difficulty or support needs
Whether your child meets diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Any relevant co-occurring or differential considerations
Recommendations and next steps
Our goal is to make the results understandable and meaningful, not simply provide you with a diagnosis. We will also ask for the opportunity to meet with your child to explain the results of their testing to them in a developmentally appropriate way.
Ready to get started? Reach out now for a complementary 20-minute consultation and take the next step in understanding your child
FAQs
How Long Does an Autism Assessment Take?
The length of an autism assessment varies depending on your child's age, developmental profile, presenting concerns, and the information available.
At your initial consultation, we'll discuss the expected assessment process, number of appointments, and estimated timeline for your child's specific circumstances, but we usually quote between 16-18 hours total, including all appointments and the scoring, interpretation, and reporting of results.
What Should I Bring to the Assessment?
If available, it can be helpful to provide:
Previous assessment reports
School or daycare reports
Speech-language or occupational therapy reports
Relevant medical or developmental information
Teacher questionnaires or observations
Any other information you feel would help us understand your child
You don't need to have everything organized before contacting us. We'll let you know what information would be helpful for your child's assessment.
What do you mean by a “Neuro-Affirming Approach?”
At LittleKind Psychology, we believe an autism assessment should help children and families understand themselves- not change who they are.
Our approach recognizes that autistic children have their own strengths, interests, communication styles, and ways of experiencing the world. We aim to identify areas where additional support may be helpful while also recognizing and building upon the things your child does well.
An assessment is not about determining whether your child is "normal." It is about developing a clearer understanding of who your child is, how they experience the world, and what they need to thrive.
How can I contact you?
You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email us at office@littlekindpsychology.ca. We aim to respond quickly- usually within one business day.