Autism & ADHD

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Autism Diagnostic Assessments

When your child or loved one is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), it can bring a mix of emotions. You might feel relieved to have answers, but it can also feel overwhelming as you process this new information.

Please know that you’re not alone. We’re here to walk with you every step of the way. Whether a child or an adult, the diagnosis doesn’t change who the person is. It simply helps us understand how best to support them so they can thrive and reach their full potential in communication and beyond.

You don’t have to go through this journey by yourself. We’re here to support you, your loved one, and your family every step of the way.

ADOS - 2 Assessment

What is the ADOS-2?

ADOS-2 is a valuable instrument to evaluate communication and socialisation characteristics commonly associated with Autism. ADOS-2 uses target behaviours to assess the child's responses during specific tasks. The test is both valid and reliable. The test evaluates the individual's responses in the realms of communication, imaginative use of objects, social interaction, and play skills. The evaluator presents different activities and measures responses. In addition, the test can gauge whether the participant is familiar with normal social interaction, natural play, communication, and so on. The ADOS-2 is currently considered the “gold standard” in the assessment of ASD.

Who?

The ADOS-2 is designed for individuals as young as 12-months of age all the way through adulthood. For individuals to adequately participate in the assessment, the ADOS-2 requires a minimum developmental level of 12-months and no significant sensory or motor impairments.

The ADOS-2 can accommodate people across the lifespan because it comprises several modules. Clinicians select the appropriate module for an individual based upon the person’s language ability (ranging from no speech to verbally fluent) and age.

What to Expect

The assessment takes between 60-90 minutes for a clinician to administer, at your home/educational setting or in our clinics. When toddlers or children are being assessed, the parent may be asked to be present in the room for the entire administration. A parent’s primary role is to simply observe, although the clinician may ask the parent to interact with the child in specific ways at certain points during the ADOS-2. For adolescents and adults, the ADOS-2 is typically administered with only the client and clinician in the room.

The results of the assessment are reviewed in a separate follow-up appointment to go over the results and discuss recommendations. In addition to spending time with a clinician to review the results of the evaluation and address any questions, families are also provided a written report with detailed recommendations. This is typically available 1-2 weeks following the assessment.

Finally

Although the ADOS-2 is considered the “gold standard” for ASD assessment, it is important to know that it is just one source of information and is not on its own sufficient for making a diagnosis of ASD.

ADOS-2 is part of the assessment process to ascertain if the classification criteria for a diagnosis of Autism is met. It is important that this is considered alongside other information collected as part of the Diagnostic Assessment process.

Initial Enquiry

Booking Appointment

If you are happy to proceed we will provide available dates for the ADOS and ADI-R assessments. An invoice is sent to the family on confirmation of the assessment dates.

Questionnaires

Questionnaires will be sent to be completed and returned prior to the first appointment.

ADOS-2 Assessment

The ADOS-2 assessment is an assessment with the referred child; adolescent or adult and will take place face-to-face either at the home/educational setting or in our clinic. The ADOS 2 takes approximately 60-90 minutes to complete.

ADI-R Assessment

The ADI-R assessment is an interview with the child or adolescent’s parent / guardian or with the adult’s partner / parent / guardian. The ADI-R assessment can be conducted online via Zoom / Teams or in person. The ADI-R assessment takes approximately 2.5-3 hours to complete.

Multidisciplinary Meeting

A multidisciplinary meeting will be held with the ADOS 2 clinician; the ADI-R clinician and either a diagnosis will be formulated or further information sought.

Feedback Appointment

The family will be invited to a feedback appointment online to discuss the multidisciplinary findings.

Report

A written clinical diagnostic report (detailing the background, parental /educational setting concerns, assessment findings and diagnostic results will be stated. Signposting to relevant professionals, recommendations for intervention and further investigations will be stated.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Assessments

If you've been concerned for some time about your child's ability to focus or pay attention, you might consider pursuing an assessment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A comprehensive ADHD assessment takes into account detailed observations from both home and school, as symptoms must be present across different environments. If your child isn't exhibiting concentration difficulties in school, there may be another underlying cause for the behavior.

Linda Campbell-Arthur conducts ADHD diagnostic assessments for SL Therapy London. She is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience working within the NHS as a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist in a Tier-3 CAMHS Neurodevelopmental Team and within her own independent practice. Linda specialises in comprehensive ADHD assessments, following NICE guidelines, and is skilled in differentiating ADHD from other potential challenges. Her assessments provide a thorough and clear understanding of a child's needs, ensuring families receive high-quality, evidence-based recommendations tailored to support their child’s development.