Diagnostic Assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorders

We complete diagnostic assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorders. Our reports are recognised by the Dept. of Education & Skills and the Health Service Executive. The assessment is fully multi-disciplinary, being completed by a clinical psychologist and a speech & language therapist. An occupational therapy assessment is provided when appropriate.

We follow best practice guidelines and use the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS- 2). These are semi-structured sets of questions and activities designed to assess various aspects of social interaction, communication skills and behaviour. The autism assessment will also include a cognitive assessment carried out by the clinical psychologist.

We will provide a detailed written report describing your child’s strengths and comprehensive and individually tailored recommendations on educational and home supports that need to be put in place We also provide a feedback session to parent(s)/guardian (s).

Cognitive Assessments

A cognitive assessment involves an evaluation of cognitive functions such as learning, memory, problem solving and various abilities that relate to learning and using knowledge and skills. It involves using standardized best-practice instruments, of cognitive skills. Cognitive skills assessed include verbal and non-verbal skills and memory. The results of the assessment may identify a general intellectual disability and will indicate your child’s strengths and areas of need. The comprehensive report will include recommendations on how to support their learning and development.

Educational Attainment Assessments

This involves the standard cognitive assessment and an assessment of attainment to determine whether your child has a specific learning disability, for example dyslexia The attainment tests measure academic skills such as, reading, written expression, mathematics, spelling and oral expressive skills.

The assessment involves collecting information from parents/ caregivers, and teachers on academic performance in combination with information from the child’s performance on standardized psychometric instruments.

The cognitive and educational assessment will highlight academic strengths , learning aptitudes and areas of needs and be helpful in developing supportive learning strategies. We will provide a comprehensive report that is recognized by the HSE and the Dept. Education and Science.

ADHD Diagnostic Assessment

ADHD is a behavioural disorder characterised by the core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Children and adolescents with ADHD experience difficulties that interfere with their lives and can create difficulties with parents, teachers and classmates.

We complete assessments for ADHD with comprehensive reports that are recognised by the Dept. of Education & Skills and the HSE. An ADHD assessment involves a parental intake interview, pre-school/school observation, a cognitive assessment, and administering the Connors rating scale to parents and teachers. We provide a comprehensive report with individually tailored recommendations.