Specialist Autism Services
"The most interesting people in the world don't fit into any box, they create their own"
What We Offer
- Autism Diagnostic Assessment
- Autism Interventions
- Autism Specific Training
- Autism Specific Service Development and Consultation
- Autism Multi-Disciplinary Team
Specialist Autism Services
MKD autism specialists will work with individuals with autism, carers and other providers and commissioners to conduct robust and individualised assessments that will lead to valid and reliable diagnostic formulations.
Assessments can focus on identification, diagnosis and confirmation of diagnosis of autism spectrum conditions.
Our diagnostic assessments are multi-disciplinary; relevant professionals from different disciplines will be involved to provide a more valid outcome (please see our Autism MDT on Our Team page).
Since no single test is appropriate for all, assessments will be carried out using a different combination of tools, depending on individual client’s needs. These can vary in length but will be multi-agency, and involve relevant stakeholders in order to obtain information needed.
Diagnostic Tools
Our experts in autism are trained in several autism diagnostic tools such as;
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2)
The ADOS-2 is considered the gold standard for observational assessment of autism spectrum condition. ADOS-2 can provide a highly accurate picture of symptoms and can be used to evaluate anyone, from toddlers to adults believed to have autism spectrum condition.
Autism Diagnostic Interview (Revised)(ADI-R)
The ADI-R is used to assess individuals suspected of having autism or other autism spectrum conditions. Used in conjunction with ADOS-2, the ADI-R is an aid to formal diagnosis as well as treatment planning.
Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO)
Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO) uses a detailed, semi structured interview and was developed by Dr Lorna Wing and Dr Judith Gould. It is capable of diagnosing autism spectrum condition in children or adults of any age and can inform future treatment planning.
Other Assessments for Autism:
The Q-Chat: The Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers
Developed by the Autism Research Centre, it is a revision of the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers and designed to improve the sensitivity of the instrument.
The Q-CHAT is a screening instrument that aims to identify toddlers at risk for autistic spectrum conditions with improved sensitivity, for both clinical and research purposes.
The Empathy Quotient (EQ)
A 60-item questionnaire (there is also a shorter, 40-item version) designed to measure empathy in adults. The test was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen at ARC (the Autism Research Centre) at the University of Cambridge.
Clinically, the empathy measurements provided by the EQ assesses the level of social impairment in certain disorders like autism.
Empathy/Systemising Quotient for Children (EQ/SQ)
The EQ/SQ is a 55 parent-report questionnaire measuring a child’s tendency towards both empathising and systemising. These are two important constructs in both gender differences and autism spectrum/normality differences.
The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ)
Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge University have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), which measures autistic traits in adults. There is also a child and adolescent version.