Support and Information

Autism is a lifelong, developmental disability or difference which relates to how a person communicates and interacts with others, and how they experience the world around them. Autism is a part of the broader neurodiversity family of differences or disabilities which encompasses people with conditions or differences such as ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia, Epilepsy, Tourette’s Syndrome and Dyscalculia. 

These different ways of thinking about, processing and understanding the world are called ‘neurotypes’. People who have these differences in thinking are said to be ‘neurodivergent’, as their way of thinking and processing the world can diverge from what society expects, whereas people who don’t have these differences are said to be ‘neurotypical’. 

While autistic people are born autistic, it is not something that parents learn when their child is born. As a child grows up, they may begin to show certain signs as they communicate differently to other people, find day-to-day situations stressful or overwhelming and rely on structure and routine in order to manage. This in turn may lead to a person receiving an autism diagnosis. 

If you think your child may be autistic then the first place you should visit is your GP. This process does have many stages going through different professionals. Once with your GP, provide them with a list of reasons that you believe your child may be autistic. You may be referred to an early intervention team. A second option is to apply for the assessment of need which you can get contact details through your local health office. There can be a lengthy waiting period for both of these options so try and get onto both waiting lists.

You can also go down the private route. This can typically have a shorter wait time but this process can be more costly than public. Be sure to check that if you go private that the clinic specialises in autism and is multi-disciplinary.

The Criteria:

The assessment teams will use the DSM-5 and the ICD-10 manuals when looking at the criteria for autism. As per the DSM-5, autism is defined by enduring difficulties in social communication and interaction, alongside restricted or repetitive behavioral patterns, interests, or activities, with sensory challenges also emphasized. It’s noteworthy that the DSM-5 and ICD-10 lack contemporary insights into autism, employing negative language and viewpoints, overlooking autistic strengths, and neglecting the disabling impact of environments on autistic individuals. Many within the autistic community believe that autism shouldn’t be labeled as a disorder altogether.

For more indepth information visit asiam.ie/autism-child-diagnosis/