Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, social interaction, and the way individuals process the world around them. Signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) appear in childhood, though they may become more noticeable as social demands increase. These challenges can impact areas like relationships, school, work, and other daily activities.
Persistent difficulties in initiating and maintaining social interactions, such as:
Trouble understanding verbal and non-verbal cues
Challenges in forming conversations
Difficulty responding to others in expected ways
Difficulty in forming friendships and relationships
Patterns of restrictive or repetitive behaviours, interests, movements, or activities, such as:
Adherence to rigid routines (e.g. taking the same route, eating the same foods)
Intense focus on specific topics or hobbies
Repetitive movements (e.g. rocking, hand-flapping)
Preoccupation with parts of objects or specific details
If you’re exploring an autism assessment, you may have encountered various approaches to the diagnostic process. A high-quality assessment must always adhere to NICE guidelines and be conducted by a multidisciplinary team of trained professionals to ensure accuracy and reliability.
The process begins with gathering developmental history from family members or close contacts, along with initial observations of your behaviour to identify early signs of autism.
A thorough evaluation follows. This includes psychometric assessment, direct observation, interviews, and input from family members to assess behaviour, communication, and social skills, using standard diagnostic tools such as ADOS, ADI-R, and DISCO where appropriate.
After reviewing all information, the specialist team will determine if you meets the criteria for ASD. At NDAS, diagnoses are based on internationally-recognised ICD-11 criteria, ensuring consistent and accurate diagnosis.