PAEDIATRIC AUTISM ASSESSMENTS
PAEDIATRIC AUTISM ASSESSMENTS
Comprehensive Occupational Therapy Assessments to Support Autism Diagnostic Pathways
At The Therapy Room NQ, we understand that seeking answers about your child’s development can feel overwhelming. Whether you’ve noticed differences in communication, social interaction, sensory processing, behaviour or emotional regulation, our team is here to help you better understand your child’s individual strengths and support needs.
We offer comprehensive, autism-focused Occupational Therapy assessments for children and families in Townsville and surrounding communities.
Our assessments explore developmental characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), using structured assessment tools, clinical observations and information gathered from parents, caregivers and educators.
The aim is to provide families with a clearer understanding of their child’s developmental profile and a detailed assessment report that can be shared with their paediatrician or other appropriately qualified diagnostic professional as part of the autism diagnostic process.
What Does an Autism Assessment Involve?
Every child is unique, which is why our assessments are tailored to their age, developmental stage, communication abilities and individual needs.
Our comprehensive assessment process may include the following components.
1. Initial Parent or Caregiver Consultation
The assessment begins with an in-depth consultation with parents or caregivers to discuss:
Current developmental concerns and observations
Early childhood development and developmental milestones
Communication and social interaction
Play skills, interests and behaviour patterns
Sensory processing differences
Emotional regulation and responses to everyday situations
Daily routines, independence and participation
Developmental characteristics associated with DSM-5-TR autism diagnostic criteria
This consultation provides an opportunity for families to share their experiences and helps guide the assessment process.
2. Standardised Assessment Tools
Depending on your child’s age and individual presentation, our Occupational Therapist may use a combination of recognised assessment tools, including:
Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum (MIGDAS-2)
The MIGDAS-2 is a structured, sensory-based interview and observational assessment approach that helps explore characteristics associated with autism, including social communication, interests, sensory experiences and behavioural patterns.
Social Responsiveness Scale – Second Edition (SRS-2)
A standardised questionnaire that examines social communication, social interaction and behaviours associated with autism.
Sensory Profile Assessments
These assessments explore how your child processes and responds to sensory information in everyday environments, including home, school and childcare.
Additional Developmental Screening and Questionnaires
Other age-appropriate screening tools and questionnaires may be used where clinically indicated to develop a broader understanding of your child’s developmental strengths and challenges.
3. Information From Schools and Early Childhood Educators
Understanding how a child functions across different environments is an important part of the assessment process.
With parent or caregiver consent, our Occupational Therapist may gather additional information from teachers, childcare educators or other professionals involved in your child’s care.
This helps identify developmental patterns, strengths and support needs across home, school and community settings.
4. Individual Assessment Sessions With Your Child
Your child will participate in individual assessment sessions with our Occupational Therapist.
These sessions may involve structured activities, play-based observations, guided interactions and the MIGDAS-2 assessment approach.
We aim to provide a supportive, child-friendly environment where your child can feel comfortable and engage in ways that suit their individual communication style and abilities.
Typically, two assessment appointments of approximately 60 minutes each are scheduled, with additional sessions arranged where clinically necessary.
5. Comprehensive Written Assessment Report
Following the assessment process, our Occupational Therapist reviews and interprets the information gathered from assessment tools, clinical observations, developmental history and educator feedback.
A comprehensive written report is prepared, which may include:
Relevant developmental and background information
Assessment findings and clinical observations
Social communication and interaction characteristics
Sensory processing and regulation profiles
Behavioural and developmental patterns
Consideration of characteristics associated with DSM-5-TR autism criteria
Your child’s strengths and functional support needs
Recommendations for further assessment, referrals and appropriate supports
The report can be provided to your child’s paediatrician or other qualified diagnostic professional to assist with their broader diagnostic evaluation.
6. Parent or Caregiver Feedback Session
Once the assessment and report have been completed, families are invited to attend a feedback consultation.
During this appointment, our Occupational Therapist will explain the findings, discuss your child’s developmental profile, answer questions and provide recommendations for the next steps.
Our goal is to ensure families leave with a clearer understanding of their child’s needs and feel supported in navigating the next stage of their journey.
Can an Occupational Therapist Diagnose Autism?
Occupational Therapists play an important role in identifying and assessing developmental characteristics associated with autism. However, our Occupational Therapy autism assessment service does not provide a formal medical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Our assessment provides detailed clinical information and considers whether the findings are consistent with characteristics associated with autism.
A formal diagnosis must be made by an appropriately qualified professional following a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation.
Families can take their Occupational Therapy assessment report to their paediatrician or another qualified diagnostic professional for consideration as part of the diagnostic process.
The assessment does not guarantee a diagnosis, and the diagnosing professional may request further information or additional assessments.
Why Choose The Therapy Room NQ?
Comprehensive, Individualised Assessments
We take the time to understand your child’s developmental history, strengths, differences and everyday experiences.
Child-Friendly Assessment Approach
Our assessment process is designed to support children’s comfort and participation, using developmentally appropriate activities and observations.
Information From Multiple Environments
Where appropriate, we gather information from families and educators to build a more complete picture of your child’s development.
Detailed Reports to Support Diagnostic Pathways
Families receive a comprehensive report that can be shared with their paediatrician or another appropriately qualified diagnostic professional.
Practical Recommendations for Everyday Life
Our assessments consider not only developmental characteristics associated with autism but also your child’s participation, independence, sensory needs and everyday functioning.
Autism Assessment Fees and Appointments
Our comprehensive autism assessments are tailored to each child’s individual developmental needs and may involve parent consultations, standardised assessment tools, individual assessment sessions, information gathering from educators, clinical interpretation, a detailed written report and a parent feedback appointment.
Estimated Assessment Cost: $1,600–$2,000
The total cost will depend on the complexity of the assessment, the assessment tools required and the time involved in completing the assessment and preparing the report.
Additional fees may apply where further assessments, appointments, consultations or additional reporting are required. Any additional costs will be discussed with families before proceeding.
Our administration team can provide further information about the assessment process, appointment availability and anticipated fees.
Important Information About Autism Diagnosis
Please note: Our Occupational Therapy autism assessments are designed to provide comprehensive clinical information to support the autism diagnostic process. They do not constitute a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Following completion, families are encouraged to provide their assessment report to an appropriately qualified diagnostic professional, such as a paediatrician or psychiatrist for further evaluation and consideration of a formal diagnosis where appropriate.
Completion of an Occupational Therapy assessment does not guarantee a formal autism diagnosis.
We recommend discussing your intended diagnostic pathway with your child’s referring or treating specialist.
Enquire About an Autism Assessment
If you have concerns about your child’s development or are seeking additional assessment information to support a possible autism diagnosis, our team is here to help.
Contact The Therapy Room NQ to discuss whether our Occupational Therapy autism assessment service may be suitable for your child.
Contact The Therapy Room NQ
Phone: (07) 4440 5207
Email: admin@thetherapyroomnq.com.au
Online Enquiries: SUBMIT AN ENQUIRY