Child autism assessment.

Overview

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is a neurodevelopmental difference affecting around 1–2% of children. It shapes how a child communicates, relates to others, processes sensory information and responds to change. It is not an illness and it is not caused by parenting or vaccines. It is a difference in how the developing brain processes information, present from early childhood — though in many children, particularly girls, it is not recognised until much later.

This page covers assessment of children and young people aged 6 to 17. For under-6s, assessment usually involves a developmental paediatrician and we will signpost you accordingly. Where ADHD is also in question — and the two frequently occur together — see , or ask us about the combined pathway.

What your child's assessment includes

• Pre-assessment screening appointment with a specialist clinician
• Standardised parent and school questionnaires, scored and interpreted
• Direct teacher and school observations gathered with your consent
• Structured observational assessment, typically the ADOS-2 where indicated, by trained clinicians
• A detailed developmental history covering early years to the present
• A formal written diagnostic report, including the reasoning behind the outcome
• A letter for your child's school to support SEN planning and EHCP applications
• A letter to your NHS GP, with your consent, so the diagnosis joins the medical record

Signs of autism in children

Social communication and interaction

• Differences in eye contact, gesture or facial expression
• Difficulty reading tone, sarcasm, or what is implied rather than said
• Finding friendships hard to start or sustain, or preferring adults or younger children
• Conversation that centres on their own interests
• Difficulty adjusting behaviour to different social settings

Restricted and repetitive patterns

• Strong routines, and real distress when they change unexpectedly
• Intense, focused interests
• Repetitive movements or speech
• Sensory differences — sound, light, texture, food, clothing, touch
• Literal interpretation of language

How we assess autism at the clinic

Step 1 — Pre-assessment screening

A screening appointment with one of our specialist clinicians to hear your concerns, review your child's development and decide together whether full assessment is the right next step. No GP referral is required. £250.

Step 2 — Parent and school questionnaires

Standardised questionnaires completed before the main appointment. Tools commonly used include the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Step 3 — School information

With your consent we contact your child's school for teacher observations. Autism presents differently across settings, and a child who masks successfully at school may be entirely different at home. Seeing both is essential to an accurate outcome, and it is the step most often skipped by faster services.

Step 4 — Developmental history and observational assessment

A detailed developmental history covering early milestones, language, play and social development, alongside structured observational assessment — typically the ADOS-2 where indicated, administered by clinicians trained in its use. The session is paced to your child, with breaks, and adapted to their age and communication style.

Step 5 — Feedback, report and plan

We talk you through the outcome and what it means, then send a formal written report. From first contact to report is typically 4–8 weeks, depending on availability and how quickly school information comes back. £2,200 for the diagnostic assessment and report.

What is in your child's report

• The diagnostic outcome, stated plainly
• The evidence and reasoning behind that conclusion
• Your child's specific profile — strengths as well as areas of difficulty
• Any co-existing or alternative conditions identified
• Practical recommendations for school, home and sensory environment

If we do not diagnose autism, we will say so clearly and explain why, and signpost you to the right help.

Support after diagnosis

There is no medication that treats autism itself, and any service suggesting otherwise should be treated with caution. Support after diagnosis is practical and environmental: adjustments at school, sensory strategies, communication support, and help for the family in understanding the profile.

Where a co-occurring condition is identified — ADHD, anxiety or low mood are common — that is treated on its own terms, and may include medication. Many autistic children are also ADHD; where both are diagnosed, we can initiate and titrate ADHD medication in house, with follow-up reviews at £180.

Your child's diagnosis and the NHS

Our reports are written to NHS standards and are accepted by NHS GPs and by schools, including for SEN planning and EHCP applications. With your consent we write to your child's GP after diagnosis so the diagnosis becomes part of their NHS medical record.

Fees

• Autism pre-assessment screening — £250
• Autism assessment with diagnostic report — £2,200
• Combined autism and ADHD assessment with report — £2,500
• Follow-up appointment — £180

See our full price list. Every price shown is the price you pay.

Why our assessment costs more than some others

Autism assessment is where the gap between a thorough service and a fast one is widest, because the diagnosis rests on skilled observation rather than a checklist.

• Structured observational assessment. ADOS-2 administration and scoring requires specific clinician training and takes substantial time. Lower-priced assessments frequently omit it entirely and rely on questionnaires.
• Evidence from more than one setting. We gather school and teacher information as a required step — critical where a child masks at school.
• Experience with masking and with girls. The presentations most often missed are the ones that need the most clinical time.
• A report that holds up. Written to a standard schools use for EHCP applications and NHS GPs accept for the record.
• Differential diagnosis. Concluding a child is not autistic takes as much clinical work as concluding they are.

Where we are not more expensive is afterwards: follow-up appointments are £180, at or below the typical private rate.

When to seek assessment

Consider assessment if differences in social communication, routine, or sensory response are persistent, present across settings, and getting in the way of your child's learning, friendships or wellbeing — particularly if school has raised concerns, or if your child is exhausted and distressed after holding themselves together all day.