Child and Adolescent ASD Clinic
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition which can cause a wide range of issues around how a child or young person communicates and interacts with others. Although the exact causes of ASD are not known, it is widely believed that both genetic and environmental factors have a role.
Signs of autism in young children include:
Not responding to their name
Avoiding eye contact
Not smiling when you smile at them
Getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound
Repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body
Not talking as much as other children
Not doing as much pretend play
Repeating the same phrases
Signs of autism in older children include:
- Not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling
- Unusual speech, such as repeating phrases and talking ‘at’ others
- Liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes
- Having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities
- Getting very upset if you ask them to do something
- Finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own
- Taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg"
- Finding it hard to say how they feel
Phoenix Mental Health Services offers ASD assessments for children and young people aged between 6-18 years old. It is carried out by our specialist Dr Rimi Bhatia. The assessment involves a combination of face-to-face and online interviews with our clinician and you will receive a detailed report with recommendations. This assessment will screen for other mental health conditions but the primary focus will be assessment of autism.
It is important to note that this is a diagnostic process and there are currently no medical treatments for ASD.
Please see our flow chart below to get an idea of how our ASD assessment works. Please contact us to get the process started.
