Assessment for Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity: Autism, ADHD, PDA and mental health – Part 3
Navigating assessment for Autism and/or ADHD
Paediatricians, psychiatrists and psychologists can assess for Autism and ADHD. Who you consult depends in part on your goals: do you wish to access medication for ADHD? If yes, then you need to see a paediatrician or a psychiatrist, as they can prescribe meds. If no, you can be assessed by a psychologist.
A paediatrician will see children and young people under 16. For adolescents from 14 years old, a youth-focused psychiatrist would be suitable. And a psychiatrist will assess an adult. Psychologists who offer assessments have particular skills and training in this area and may see people of all ages. A psychologist assessment is based on comprehensive clinical interviewing, history-taking and uses screening questionnaires.
Assessments by paediatricians and psychiatrists tend to be shorter in length but can be harder to access than assessments by psychologists due to long waitlists. It is important to seek out a neurodivergent affirming (NDA) clinician for your assessment, as they will provide you with a balanced view of strengths and challenges, and validate your experiences. This is particularly the case if you believe you are high-masking, have a PDA profile, or are AuDHD, as some clinicians are more experienced in distinguishing these features.
Guidelines to support the diagnosis (aka discovery) of ADHD (Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA), 2022) have recently been updated, while those for Autism (Whitehouse A. J. O. et al., 2018) are currently being updated.
Considerations for assessment
Being assessed can be a very affirming experience, confirming your suspicions of ‘being different’. It can explain your questions, experiences and differences. Most importantly, it can provide you an opportunity to really get to know yourself, accept yourself wholeheartedly and advocate for what you need at home, at work and in educational contexts.
Once you receive a diagnosis, this can help you get access to supports such as NDIS (if applicable). Your diagnosis will form part of your medical records and can be disclosable for migration and other purposes.
Features of neurodivergence
Some things that people may struggle with include sensory processing, interoception (awareness of body cues, such as hunger, thirst) and emotion regulation (e.g., feeling overly reactive). Other concerns might include attention, motivation, focus and handling interruptions. Some people also have difficulty managing time (e.g., often being late) and belongings (e.g., forgetting things) and with schedules and routines. Processing may occur differently, for example, things may seem to encompass many more steps than they do to others, leading to overwhelm. And processing speed can be affected, so that you may feel like you take a beat longer to register what people say and to respond. Sleep may be more difficult or deeper for you, or you may feel unrefreshed by sleep. Some people report feeling as though they don’t know who they are, which is likely related to long term masking.
Role of therapy in treatment
Therapy can help you discover more about yourself, whether this is through official assessment or not. You can learn to know and accept your unique qualities, which include your strengths. This can help you to make adjustments in your environment to become more supportive of your needs. And it can help you to develop more reasonable expectations for yourself, including planning downtime when needed.
How to support neurodivergent family and friends
It is not helpful to think in terms of “superpowers”, as this can minimise the challenges experienced by neurodivergent folk, leading to them not receiving the support they need in other areas.
Be curious and non-judgemental
Let them know that you care and are interested in their experiences!
Unhelpful
Isn’t everyone a bit Autistic/ ADHD? (invalidates their experiences)
You can’t be Autistic, you get on with people (yes, of course!)
You can’t be ADHD, you’re good at deadlines (yes, some, but not all)
You can’t be Autistic/ ADHD, you seem fine (yes, but what about the masking and anxiety)
Helpful
You’re safe with us
You can be the authentic you, with us
We will support you
We care for you and what you need
* Note that our knowledge regarding these topics is evolving quickly as much-needed resources are now being made available to explore them; the information and terminology used in this blog is based on current thinking, and is likely to change as we learn more.
Recommended resources to learn more include:
Books
12 Principles for Raising a Child with ADHD – by Russell A. Barkley, 2021
Supporting Autistic Girls and Gender-Diverse Youth – by Yellow Ladybugs, 2023
The Rainbow Brain – by Sandya Menon, 2023
Unmasking Autism: The Power of Embracing Our Hidden Neurodiversity – by Devon Price, 2022
Online
Autistic Self Advocacy Network www.autisticadvocacy.org
How to ADHD https://www.youtube.com/c/howtoadhd
Neurowild @neurowild_
TV
Heartbreak High www.netflix.com – featuring Autistic and Queer characters and actors
References
Australian ADHD Professionals Association (AADPA). (2022). Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity. . https://www.aadpa.com.au/guideline
Whitehouse A. J. O., Evans K., & Eapen V. (2018). A National Guideline for the assessment and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Australia. Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism.
