Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism is not a single disorder, but a spectrum of closely-related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), they belong to an “umbrella” category of five conditions known as pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) in which there is dysfunction of some parts of the brain and central nervous system. This affects how a child learns to understand and use language, and interact with other people and the environment.
When most people talk about the Autism Spectrum Disorders, they are referring to the three most common conditions including:
- Autism (also known as Autistic Disorder or 'Classic' Autism)
- Asperger's Syndrome (also known as High-functioning Autism)
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) (also known as Atypical Autism)
Autism Spectrum Disorder Statistics
Research suggests that ASD affects at least 1 in 160 children, with Autistic Disorder being the most common. ASD is more commonly diagnosed in boys than in girls — at a rate of four to one. About 75 percent of children with Autistic Disorder have below normal intelligence. However, around 10 percent demonstrate high intelligence in a particular area (e.g. maths, art, music, or computer studies).
What does the Speech Pathology Assessment involve?
At Brain & Language Connections clinic, our comprehensive Speech Pathology assessment may include, but is not limited to:
- An interview with the child’s parents or carers to find out how their child communicates and interacts with them, with family members, and with other people in different places such as the home, preschool, or school.
- Developmental checklists and Autism Rating Scales.
- Formal language testing - to determine whether the child’s speech, understanding and use of spoken language is at an age appropriate level.
- Pragmatic/social aspects of language and communication - to determine whether a child is able to start and continue a conversation and how he or she uses both verbal and nonverbal language to express thoughts and feelings, and to interact with others.
- Observation of the child in unstructured settings.
It is important to note that the Speech Pathology assessment is only one assessment that will form part of the overall assessment process with the other professionals (such as the General Practitioner, Paediatrician, Psychologist etc.) to determine whether a child is given a diagnosis of ASD. | 
