The process to get ASD dx. Can anyone explain ,please?

[mysonben]

Who make the reports and how many are needed? Who makes the dx? What about evaluations using the ADI-R or ADOS ,are these always used? or can dx reached with only observations and reports? I'm all confused. Please help, thanks.

afraid the exact procedure and no. of professionals involved and no. of appointments varies from area to area, so you would have to phone up your local early years service or child development centre (i.e. whoever deals with the referrals) to find out more.

Both Ds1 and Ds2 (DS1 definite diagnosis, Ds2 strongly suspected) have been referred first by a GP, then seen a paediatrician, then have had (or are due to have) a multidisciplinary assessment, where they were.will be checked by SALT, ed psych, OT, nursery nurse plus some others (can never remember whether one is a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
Ds2 also had a 3DI test (well, I did it for him), which is a detailed series of questions

What Total says - it completely depends on the area. We got referred by HV, got seen by SALT, got seen by MDA (two paeds and a SALT) who made the dx on the basis of observation of DS and long questionnaire (no idea which questionnaire it was though). Have been referred to Ed Psych, no referral to OT because no major sensory issues identified

Every area seems to be different.

Ds1 was given a SALT referral by the HV. The SALT suspected autism (although she wasn't allowed to tell me that at the time) and made a referral to see the Paed. The Paed also thought it was autism and so ds1 was given a multi-disciplinary assessment where he saw the OT, Physio, Child Psych, and another SALT. At the end of the assessment was a big meeting where everyone gave their findings and the Paed then gave the diagnosis. No specific tests were given.

Ds2 was referred straight to the Paed by the Early Years team. Then like his brother he was referred for a multi-disciplinary assessment with the same procedures.