Autism Assessment

Autism is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others, causing challenges in social interaction and communication. The disorder also includes limited and repetitive patterns of behavior. Early identification is critical to early intervention and optimal outcomes for your child.  

A diagnostic assessment involves a detailed review of your child's developmental history, current behaviors and concerns, as well as the administration of standardized tests to determine a diagnosis.

A psychoeducational assessment involves a standardized assessment of a child’s intellectual and academic abilities. Results can help the individual and their family understand the child’s learning styles and needs, as well as provide strategies to support them. 

Schools may use the information to place a child in the right classroom setting with the appropriate level of support. The information from the assessment may aid in the development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and other supports to provide your child with a better educational experience.

Learning Disabilities (LD) refer to a number of disorders which may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. Learning disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following:

• oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding);
• reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension);
• written language (e.g. spelling and written expression); and
• mathematics (e.g. computation, problem solving).

An assessment for an LD is completed through a psychoeducational assessment, and includes an evaluation of your child's intellectual and academic skills. Interviews, clinical observations, and review of your child's report cards are also part of the assessment.

ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. ADHD may cause learning difficulties in the classroom and achieving academically, as well as, social and emotional challenges. 

An assessment for ADHD involves a detailed developmental history and clinical questionnaires. The diagnostic assessment also involves a thorough psychoeducational assessment to identify your child's learning strengths and areas of development.

A gifted screening is a brief assessment of the child’s cognitive functioning, usually required by the school board for placement in the ‘Gifted Program’ within the public school board. A brief written report with the results of the assessment will be provided to the family, which may be shared with the school board for placement decisions. 

If your child is 16 years of age or older, and you are considering applying to Developmental Services Ontario on their behalf, you may require an updated psychological assessment. DSO assessments involve an evaluation of the individual's cognitive functioning and adaptive skills. 

DSO assessments can also be completed as part of a larger, more comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation to inform a student's educational programming.