Autism Diagnostic Inventory & Observation Scores

[AnonyMust]

Hayelp
I don't really understand the scores on my son's report.
ADI-R:
Reciprocal social interaction 23 cut off 10
Qualitative... Communication 18. Cut off 7
Restrictive, repetitive behaviour 6. Cut off 3
ADOS
social effect 17
Restrictive repetitive behaviours 7
Overall score 25
Comparison score conversion 10
(Does latter relate to overall or to sub-test scores?).

[AnonyMust]

Thank you both. Speechiesusie are my son's scores quite high then? I've spent so long in denial that it'd he'll to know. He's so articulate so knowing he has ASD is quite bizarre and nonsensical.

[Bowwowchikkawowwow]

I was only given the overall ADOS score, which was 13.
It was never explained were that was in terms of severity, but the two professionals had both observed and assessed him in school quite a few times (passive) I got the impression that he scored a lot higher than they were expecting.

From my understanding 7 or above is needed for a dx but that is all I know.

Interesting though, wish I had thought to ask for more detail.

[speechiesusie]

A comparison score of 10 is a severity score (out of ten).

But you need to think if that in terms of number and severity of symptoms. A Non verbal child can get the same comparison score as a verbal child. The verbal child may have higher scores in different domains.

I diagnose autism in a team using ados and disco.

[AnonyMust]

Sunshine, you've hit the (emotional) nail on the head. ALL of the above in terms of emotional shmorgasbord, relief and upset.
I'm a dyslexia assessor, so can usually look at scores and know what they 'mean'. I can see that these scores are less indicative of severity (am I right?) and that now it's merely more useful as a tool with which I can better understand and support his traits (behaviours, emotions and anxieties, etc.) in the light of his dx.
Next step will be to consider application for EHCP - SLT, E.P. & O.T have been advised.
Thank goodness the dx has been made. Seems like it's one mountain after another though. Need to rest emotionally into the 'comfort' of it first

[sunshine175]

Interestingly the scores don't indicate severity. In this scale it is getting over the cut off which gives a classification (no asd/ asd/ autism). Higher scores means more symptoms but not necessarily greater severity. The scale for restrictive /repetitive is shorter so lower scores than the other scales are expected. It is the relationship between the score and cut off which is important and not the difference between subtext scores.

Having said all that I think the time post assessment is so emotionally hard. You both want and don't want the answer that the tests give to you. From my experience I knew what the reports said and could interpret them but it didn't make it any easier and it was a roller coaster of relief, fear, distress, anxiety, denial, anger....and it took a long time to move from that to acceptance. Be gentle and give your self time to process this report.

[AnonyMust]

Exactly that. At the moment, he comes out of school and is so angry. He shouts and growls at me. I can calm him down but it's upsetting me. They're understanding and supportive. Those staff who work with him most know him best. Others find his behaviour more difficult. I've tried to chat to them but the understanding isn't quite there.

[choc0clock]

Did you just get the scores or also a diagnisis.
We got scores for the Ados but not for the ADI.

our Ados score was 14 and have a dx of Autism. I don't really understand your scores though. but if you cannot understand them, then I would go back to the paed to discuss the report.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Hi annoy and welcome to the board. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that he needs a dx to help staff better understand him!

Without a dx he will just be labelled stubborn, rude, naughty, etc etc

I agree with others, it doesnt really matter where he fits on the spectrum and to be honest I think that my Dd3's level of difficulty fluctuates depending on many factors including her anxiety levels and whether she is being correctly supported or not.

He is still your lovely little boy and always will be, be kind to yourself and keep coming on here for advice and support.

Good luck

[AnonyMust]

Thank you for responding Sunshine. I understand that. What I'm hoping for is to really understand better just how severe or difficult things are for my son and why the repetitive score is so much less. Even on the day of assessment I thought he'd not get a DX - and now I see what looks like a really strong profile of ASD. It's hard when he's my first child, highly articulate and ... all I know of a boy at home (I teach many children and have a DD). I'm finding the emotions of what I was desperate to have for him (a DX so that staff would better understand him) very up and down. One minute I'm sad, the next I'm compassionate - then I'm in complete denial. But to look at scores vs cut offs, there's no place for denial, is there?

[sunshine175]

Did you just get the scores or did the report say what the scores mean? The cut offs are either for asd or autism -in these tests the autism cut off is higher than the asd cut off which would indicate more difficulties. You have to score above the cut off to get a particular classification. I think the comparison score compares to others with the same classification to give a measure of severity but again I can't tell you what a 10 means. If you are confused you should contact the report writer to explain to you. Im not sure how much that helps you. It is so hard getting a piece of paper with scores about your own child.

[AnonyMust]

Should have said, sorry: I'm hoping that someone else may have gone through the process of understanding what these mean as I can make my own conclusions but, quite frankly, am still in denial (ish) and ... wondering whether these scores can finally (and with certainly) hero me to move on to the next stage, emotionally. His personality and behaviour is so confusing as he's so articulate and intelligent yet struggles with instructions, crowds, being laughed at by others in a class, etc. More so than most might.