Worried about autism spectrum disorder? What to do

You know your child best. If you’re worried about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), don’t be afraid to act. This article outlines the first steps you can take to seek help.

1. Make an appointment with an autism spectrum disorder professional

If you think your child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it’s best to act quickly and make an appointment with a professional. For example, you could talk to your child and family health nurse, your general practitioner or a paediatrician.

If the professional doesn’t have any concerns about your child, but you’re still worried, feel free to seek a second opinion – the sooner you find out your child has ASD, the sooner you can help him.

2. Learn about autism spectrum disorder services

Right away, even while you wait for an appointment, it’s good to start learning about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the different services available. Talk to other parents of a child with ASD by joining forums or parent groups, read up, start researching services in your area – there are lots of ways to begin.

3. Get an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis

Have your child assessed for autism spectrum disorder (and get an assessment report) as early as you can. A thorough assessment is important for an accurate diagnosis. It helps to think of assessment as a benchmark – you can use it to measure your child’s progress later when your child starts using interventions.

For a thorough assessment and a specific ASD diagnosis, make an appointment with a professional trained in diagnosing ASD, like a psychiatrist, psychologist or paediatrician (you might need a referral from your child’s nurse or GP).

You can read more about getting an ASD diagnosis to help with your journey into the services system.

Video

Autism spectrum disorder assessment

5:41

In this video a psychologist and a speech pathologist talk about what happens in an assessment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

As part of ASD assessment, health professionals use activities like puzzles, games and pretend play to observe a child’s behaviour, social skills and communication. They also talk to parents to find out about the child’s early development.

Note that the professionals in this video refer to ASD as autism.

4. Start early intervention for autism spectrum disorder

The sooner a child gets early intervention services for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the more effective these services are likely to be. Experts recommend early intervention for all children with ASD – the earlier the better.

Some services like PlayConnect playgroups will let you start programs and therapies without a diagnosis. Or you might be able to get a place on a waiting list for services while you wait for your child’s formal assessment.

You can read more about types of intervention or see our Parent Guide to Therapies.

For more information about ASD and how to support your child’s early development, you could take part in an Early Days online workshop. You can also contact your state or territory autism association about attending an Early Days face-to-face workshop in your area.

5. Read, talk, ask questions

The more you find out about the services environment and your options the better. You can read about choosing interventions and how interventions are tested.

PlayConnect playgroups

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Last updated or reviewed
01-10-2017

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References

American Academy of Pediatrics (2008). Autism: Caring for children with autism spectrum disorders: A resource toolkit for clinicians. Elk Grove Village, IL: Author.

Autism Speaks (n.d.). 100 day kit for newly diagnosed families of young children. Retrieved 8 March 2016 from https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/tool-kits/100-day-kit.

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O’Brien, M., & Daggett, J.A. (2006). Beyond the autism diagnosis: A professional’s guide to helping families. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

O’Reilly, B., & Wicks, K. (2016). The complete autism handbook: The essential resource guide for autism spectrum disorder in Australia and New Zealand. Cammeray, NSW: Simon & Schuster.
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van Tongerloo, M.A., Bor, H.H., & Lagro-Janssen, A.L. (2012). Detecting autism spectrum disorders in the general practitioner’s practice. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(8), 1531-1538.
Acknowledgements
This article was developed in collaboration with Cheryl Dissanayake and Cherie Green, Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University.