ASSESSMENT

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At House of Mind, we offer a comprehensive and affirming assessment for diagnosis of Autism. 

We understand wait times for Pediatricians and Psychiatrists can be extensive. We welcome private referrals, for those wanting to get their assessment journey started sooner.

Our assessments are thorough and usually comprising of the following steps: 

• Clinical / Developmental Interview 
• The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) or Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition (MIGDAS-2) dependent on age.
• An Adaptive Behaviour assessment to help better determine functional capacity (such as the Vineland or ABAS-III). 
• Other rating scales may be utilised to assist in making recommendations or to determine co-occurring conditions (such as ADHD or anxiety).  
• A cognitive assessment if deemed appropriate. 
• Consultation with teachers and any engaged services, 
• Corroboration with multidisciplinary diagnostic team where required (usually Speech Pathologist and Paediatrician)
• Completion of a comprehensive psychological report including evaluation of diagnostic criteria and recommendations, shared at a final feedback session.

General information regarding Autism diagnosis is well summarised here. 

An ADHD assessment with Psychologist will typically include:

• A Clinical / Developmental Interview
• Review of history and previous reports
• A Cognitive Assessment using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition, Australian and New Zealand Standardised Edition (WISC-V A&NZ) for children aged between 6 years to 16 years 11 months;
• A screening questionnaire / rating scales for parents and teachers to complete such as the Conners 4 to capture information about behaviour in a range of settings (generally home and school).
• Consultation with teachers or other care givers.
• Completion of a comprehensive psychological report including evaluation of diagnostic criteria and recommendations for both the home and school settings.

Thorough ADHD assessments include careful consideration of differential concerns such as anxiety, depression and cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Other assessments and screening tools may be included where required.

Where ADHD is diagnosed,  Psychologists cannot prescribe medications as treatment. Instead, their focus is on tailoring support recommendations and accommodations for the home, school and work environments. Medication options can be discussed with a Paediatrician or Psychiatrist and Candice can support with any necessary referrals.

Cognitive assessments provide useful information regarding strengths and difficulties as well as intellectual ability. These assessments are also used to diagnose intellectual disability and identify giftedness. 

This kind of assessment is usually comprised of: 

• A Clinical / Developmental Interview
• Review of history and previous reports
• A Cognitive Assessment using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition, Australian and New Zealand Standardised Edition (WISC-V A&NZ) for children aged between 6 years to 16 years 11 months;
• A measure of Adaptive Functioning, such as the ABAS-III or Vineland tools if required.
• Completion of a comprehensive psychological report

Psychoeducational assessments are helpful to investigate academic progress, learning difficulties and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD's) such as Dyslexia or Dysgraphia. This assessment involves:

• A Clinical & Developmental Interview
• A Cognitive Assessment using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition, Australian and New Zealand Standardised Edition (WISC-V A&NZ) 
• A Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 3rd Ed (WIAT-III) to investigate academic attainments. 
• Review of interventions to date
• Consultation with educators
• Completion of a comprehensive psychoeducational report