AUTISM ASSESSMENT

Understanding the whole person.

A comprehensive autism assessment can provide clarity about lifelong patterns of social communication, sensory experiences, flexibility, relationships, and the ways you navigate the world.

We provide thoughtful, evidence-based autism assessments for children, adolescents, and adults, with careful attention to developmental history, individual strengths, co-occurring conditions, and the many ways autism can present across the lifespan.

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what's included

WHEN TO CONSIDER AN ASSESSMENT

Could autism help explain your experiences?

Autism can look very different from one person to another—and it is not always recognized early in life. Some people seek assessment because differences have been apparent since childhood, while others begin wondering about autism only after years of feeling that social interaction, sensory experiences, change, or everyday demands require more effort than they seem to for others.

An assessment can help explore whether autism provides a meaningful explanation for these patterns, while also considering ADHD, anxiety, learning differences, and other factors that may overlap with or contribute to your experiences.

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Autism is complex, and no single test determines whether someone is autistic. Our assessments integrate information from multiple sources to understand developmental history, current functioning, individual strengths, and patterns of behaviour across settings.

The assessment is designed not only to determine whether diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder are met, but also to understand the person more broadly—including factors such as ADHD, anxiety, learning differences, executive functioning, and adaptive skills that may overlap with or occur alongside autism.

A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

More than a questionnaire or screening measure.

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  • A comprehensive clinical interview exploring developmental history, social communication, relationships, sensory experiences, routines, interests, flexibility, and current functioning.

  • Individual assessment with the person being evaluated, including autism-focused clinical interviewing and structured activities designed to observe social communication, reciprocity, flexibility, emotional understanding, and patterns relevant to autism.

  • Standardized cognitive testing, such as the WISC-V or WAIS-IV, to understand the individual’s cognitive profile, including areas of strength and difficulty that may help contextualize their everyday functioning.

  • Assessment of practical, social, and conceptual everyday functioning using standardized measures such as the ABAS-3.

  • Autism-specific and broader questionnaires completed by the individual and, where appropriate, parents, partners, teachers, or other informants. Records and previous assessments may also be reviewed.

  • Results are integrated across interviews, observation, standardized testing, questionnaires, developmental history, and collateral information. Findings are reviewed in a feedback appointment and summarized in a comprehensive written report with individualized recommendations.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

A multi-method assessment

THE ASSESSMENT EXPERIENCE

Thoughtful, individualized, and collaborative.

Autism assessment is a collaborative process. We take time to understand not only whether diagnostic criteria are met, but how an individual experiences and navigates their everyday life.

There is no single way that autism looks—and there is no one-size-fits-all assessment process. We tailor the assessment to the individual’s age, communication style, developmental history, presenting concerns, and available sources of information.

NDIVIDUALIZED
Assessment components are selected based on the individual and the clinical questions being explored—not a one-size-fits-all battery.

NEURODIVERSITY-INFORMED
We consider strengths, needs, lived experience, and the environments in which the individual functions best.

CLINICALLY INTEGRATED
Autism is considered within the broader clinical picture, including ADHD, anxiety, learning, executive functioning, and other developmental, emotional, or mental health factors.

FEES & LOGISTICS

Autism Assessment — $3,000

A comprehensive autism assessment typically involves approximately 10 hours of professional time. The assessment is individualized based on age, developmental history, presenting concerns, and available sources of information.

YOUR ASSESSMENT INCLUDES

Clinical & developmental assessment
In-depth diagnostic interviewing and developmental history.

Direct assessment
Cognitive testing and structured autism-focused clinical observation.

Clinical integration & report
Scoring, interpretation, diagnostic formulation, and a comprehensive written report.

Feedback & recommendations
A feedback appointment to review findings, answer questions, and discuss individualized recommendations.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions about autism assessment.

It’s common to have questions about what an autism assessment involves, who it may be helpful for, and what happens after the assessment.

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  • We provide autism assessments for children, adolescents, and adults. The assessment process is individualized based on age, developmental history, communication style, presenting concerns, and the clinical questions being explored.

  • We do not currently use the ADOS-2. Autism diagnosis does not rely on any single test or measure. Our assessments use a multi-method approach that integrates developmental and diagnostic interviewing, direct clinical assessment and structured observation, standardized questionnaires, cognitive and adaptive functioning measures, collateral information where available, and clinical judgment based on DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria.

  • A developmental history is an important part of autism assessment, but we recognize that a parent or other childhood informant is not always available, particularly for adults. When necessary, we draw on other available sources of information, such as the individual’s own developmental history, school or medical records, previous assessments, and current patterns of functioning. The approach is tailored to the information available in each case.

  • Yes. ADHD and autism frequently overlap, and symptoms can sometimes be difficult to distinguish without considering both conditions carefully. When there are questions about both, the assessment can be designed to evaluate ADHD and autism together. The scope and fee for a combined assessment will be discussed in advance.

  • The assessment itself typically involves approximately 12 hours of professional time across interviewing, direct assessment, scoring and interpretation, report preparation, and feedback. Appointments are scheduled across multiple visits rather than completed in one day. The overall timeline from intake to feedback will depend on scheduling and the individual assessment plan, but is typically 4-6 weeks after the final test session.

  • Yes. Following the assessment, you will receive a comprehensive written report summarizing the assessment findings, diagnostic conclusions, individual strengths and areas of need, and recommendations tailored to the individual’s circumstances.

REQUEST AN ASSESSMENT

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re considering an autism assessment for yourself or your child, complete the inquiry form to tell us a little about what you’re looking for. Our practice will review your information and contact you regarding next steps.