New Paths of Communicating & Connecting

Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments


 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 59 children. Symptoms can appear between two and three years of age, however, concerns could become more evident as social demands increase.


“It is never too late to expand the mind of a person on the autism spectrum

- Temple Grandin

ASD is characterized by challenges with nonverbal communication, social communication, and social interaction. A child, adolescent, or young adult with ASD may display repetitive patterns of behaviours, intense interests in specific topics and/or activities, and challenges with changes in their routines or environments. The manner in which these symptoms are presented are unique to each individual and an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment can assist in identifying effective treatment strategies.

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New Paths of Communicating & Connecting

Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments


Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 1 in 59 children. Symptoms can appear between two and three years of age, however, concerns could become more evident as social demands increase.


“It is never too late to expand the mind of a person on the autism spectrum

- Temple Grandin

ASD is characterized by challenges with nonverbal communication, social communication, and social interaction. A child, adolescent, or young adult with ASD may display repetitive patterns of behaviours, intense interests in specific topics and/or activities, and challenges with changes in their routines or environments. The manner in which these symptoms are presented are unique to each individual and an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment can assist in identifying effective treatment strategies.

Signs & Symptoms of ASD

  • Avoids or limited eye contact

  • Nonverbal or delays in speech

  • Repeats words or phrases (echolalia)

  • Intense interests in specific topics, activities, objects

  • Difficulty with play or imaginative play

  • Upset with minor changes in routines, schedule

  • Intense reactions to smells, sounds, tastes, touch

  • Engages in repetitive behaviours (i.e. hand flapping, spinning, rocking)
  • Difficulty during transitions

  • Minimal engagement with other children

  • Difficulty with the reciprocity of conversations

  • Lines up objects

  • Difficulty entering or joining play

  • Highly rigid about rules


Signs & Symptoms of ASD

  • Avoids or limited eye contact
  • Nonverbal or delays in speech
  • Repeats words or phrases (echolalia)
  • Intense interests in specific topics, activities, objects
  • Difficulty with play or imaginative play
  • Upset with minor changes in routines, schedule
  • Intense reactions to smells, sounds, tastes, touch
  • Engages in repetitive behaviours (i.e. hand flapping, spinning, rocking)
  • Difficulty during transitions
  • Minimal engagement with other children
  • Difficulty with the reciprocity of conversations
  • Lines up objects
  • Difficulty entering or joining play
  • Highly rigid about rules
At the New Path Child & Adolescent Psychology Centre, we utilize a multi-disciplinary approach involving psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and other professionals to assess your child’s cognitive, communication, learning, behavioural, attention, memory, and sensory abilities. Through our comprehensive assessment we can determine if your child meets the criteria for an Autism Spectrum Disorder which outlines the range of learning needs that is specific to your child. Various treatments, accommodations, and programming options that can facilitate skill development and improve the quality of your child’s functioning will be identified and provided.
At the New Path Child & Adolescent Psychology Centre, we utilize a multi-disciplinary approach involving psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and other professionals to assess your child’s cognitive, communication, learning, behavioural, attention, memory, and sensory abilities. Through our comprehensive assessment we can determine if your child meets the criteria for an Autism Spectrum Disorder which outlines the range of learning needs that is specific to your child. Various treatments, accommodations, and programming options that can facilitate skill development and improve the quality of your child’s functioning will be identified and provided.
parallax background
 
If they can't learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn

- O. Ivar Lovaas

parallax background
If they can't learn the way we teach, we teach the way they learn

- O. Ivar Lovaas

Our Process

What Are The Benefits Of An Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment?

A psychological assessment will:

  • Determine areas of strength
  • Determine the underlying causes of a child’s, adolescent’s, or young adult’s cognitive, communication, learning, social, emotional, behavioural, and sensory challenges
  • Determine if a child, adolescent, or young adult has a:
    • Learning Disability
    • Intellectual Disability
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • Other mental health needs (i.e. anxiety, depression)
  • Provide recommendations to improve performance within the school and home setting
  • Provide treatment options to support development in language/communication, motor, social, behavioural, sensory and academic abilities
  • Provide the documentation needed to receive educational supports, accommodations, and programming placement within the School Board
  • Provide academic accommodations at university or college
What Is The Process Of An Assessment?

At the New Path Psychology, we are passionate about providing every child, adolescent and young adult with the ability to create new paths that contribute to their academic, social, behavioural, and emotional growth.

Our comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment is divided into four sessions:

Session 1:
Collecting Information & Developmental History
Session 2:
Autism Diagnostic, Observation, & Testing
Session 3:
Academic Testing
Session 4:
Feedback & Recommendations
Session 1: Collecting Information & Developmental History

The first session involves the following:

  • Reviewing privacy policy, confidentiality laws, and obtaining your consent
  • Collecting information about your child’s early and current developmental history through an in-depth, comprehensive parent interview using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)
At your first appointment, you will provide us with your child’s past and current report cards as well as any other reports written by professionals that have met with your child (if applicable).

You will receive questionnaires the you will complete and return to future sessions.

Estimated Duration:
4 hours
Session 2: Autism Diagnostic, Observation, & Testing

The second session begins with the administration of a semi-structured observational measure that assesses your child’s communication and socialization skills with the use of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Second Edition).

Various standardized, objective tests are provided to your child to determine how they reason, process, organize, and remember information. We also assess their social-emotional functioning and how it may be interfering or impacting their performance.

Estimated Duration:
2 to 3 hours
Session 3: Academic Testing

The third session involves the following:

  • Various standardized and objective tests to determine your child’s academic strengths and needs in phonology, reading, reading comprehension, mathematics, spelling, and writing

Estimated Duration:
2 to 3 hours
Session 4: Feedback & Recommendations

In the final session, we review the results of the comprehensive assessment and outline your child’s strengths and areas of need. Recommendations of how to support these identified challenges to lessen their impact on your child’s functioning are reviewed.

If your child meets criteria for an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Pragmatic Disorder, learning disability, ADHD or a developmental disability, we will explain how your child can be identified as an exceptional student through an Identification Process and Review Committee meeting through your school board and the process of developing an Individual Education Plan.

We will discuss the various treatment options appropriate to address the identified areas of need.

You are provided with the opportunity to provide feedback about the assessment process and ask questions about the results, application of recommendations and future implications.

Estimated Duration:
2 hours
Sharing Results With Your Child's School

Upon request from parents and/or school professionals, a separate meeting or school consultation can be arranged where the results of the psychological assessment and recommendations can be reviewed with your child’s classroom teacher, Special Educational/Resource Teacher, and/or principal.

School based professionals will be provided the opportunity to ask questions about the results, application of recommendations, and receive further suggestions of how to address academic, attentional, behavioural, social, and emotional needs.

Estimated Duration:
1 to 1.5 hours

Our Process

What Is The Benefit Of An Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment?

A psychological assessment will:

  • Determine the underlying causes of a child’s, adolescent’s, or young adult’s cognitive, communications, learning, social, emotional, behavioural, and sensory challenges
  • Determine areas of strength
  • Determine if a child, adolescent, or young adult has a:
    • Learning Disability
    • Intellectual Disability
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • Other mental health needs (i.e. anxiety, depression)
  • Provide recommendations to improve performance within the school and home setting
  • Provide treatment options to support development in language/communication, motor, social, behavioural, sensory, and academic abilities.
  • Provide the documentation needed to receive educational supports, accommodations, and programming placement within the School Board
  • Provide academic accommodations at university or college
What Is The Process Of An Assessment?

At New Path Psychology, we are passionate about providing every child, adolescent and young adult with the ability to create new paths that contribute to their academic, social, behavioural, and emotional growth.

Our comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment is divided into four sessions:

Session 1:
Collecting Information & Developmental History
Session 2:
Autism Diagnostic, Observation, & Testing
Session 3:
Academic Testing
Session 4:
Feedback & Recommendations
Session 1: Collecting Information & Developmental History

The first session involves the following:

  • Reviewing privacy policy, confidentiality laws, and obtaining your consent
  • Collecting information about your child’s early and current developmental history through an in-depth, comprehensive parent interview using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R)
At your first appointment, you will provide us with your child’s past and current report cards as well as any other reports written by professionals that have met with your child (if applicable).

You will receive questionnaires the you will complete and return to future sessions.

Estimated Duration:
4 hours
Session 2: Autism Diagnostic, Observation, & Testing

The second session begins with the administration of a semi-structured observational measure that assesses your child’s communication and socialization skills with the use of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Second Edition).

Various standardized, objective tests are provided to your child to determine how they reason, process, organize, and remember information. We also assess their social-emotional functioning and how it may be interfering or impacting their performance.

Estimated Duration:
2 to 3 hours
Session 3: Academic Testing

The third session involves:

  • Various standardized and objective tests to determine your child’s academic strengths and needs in phonology, reading, reading comprehension, mathematics, spelling, and writing

Estimated Duration:
2 to 3 hours
Session 4: Feedback & Recommendations

In the final session, we review the results of the comprehensive assessment and outline your child’s strengths and areas of need. Recommendations of how to support these identified challenges to lessen their impact on your child’s functioning are reviewed.

If your child meets criteria for an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Pragmatic Disorder, learning disability, ADHD or a developmental disability, we will explain how your child can be identified as an exceptional student through the Identification Process and Review Committee through your school board and the process of developing an Individual Education Plan.

We will discuss the various treatment options appropriate to address the identified areas of need.

You are provided with the opportunity to provide feedback about the assessment process and ask questions about the results, application of recommendations and future implications.

Estimated Duration:
2 hours
Sharing Results With Your Child's School

Upon request from parents and/or school professionals, a separate meeting or school consultation can be arranged where the results of the psychological assessment and recommendations can be reviewed with your child’s classroom teacher, Special Educational/Resource Teacher, and/or principal.

School based professionals will be provided the opportunity to ask questions about the results, application of recommendations, and receive further suggestions of how to address academic, attentional, behavioural, social, and emotional needs.

Estimated Duration:
1 to 1.5 hours

Schedule An Assessment

 
To better understand your child’s communication, social, and behavioural challenges, find appropriate intervention strategies, and develop new pathways that lead to their future success, contact us to schedule an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment.

Schedule An Assessment

 
To better understand your child’s communication, social, and behavioural challenges, find appropriate intervention strategies, and develop new pathways that lead to their future success, contact us to schedule an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment.