Management of assessments and diagnoses for children with autism spectrum disorders: the Western Australian model

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are severe developmental conditions that require specialised intervention and lifelong support. Recent increases in ASD prevalence have prompted new initiatives in Western Australia to improve the consistency of assessments and to more accurately monitor diagnostic t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical journal of Australia 2008-03, Vol.188 (5), p.288-291
Main Authors: Glasson, Emma J, MacDermott, Sarah, Dixon, Glenys, Cook, Hugh, Chauvel, Peter, Maley‐Berg, Alana, Wray, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Autistic children
Autistic Disorder - diagnosis
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child clinical studies
Child health
Communication
Developmental disorders
Diagnosis
Disability management
Education
Families & family life
General aspects
Humans
Infantile autism
Intellectual disabilities
Medical sciences
Mental disorders
Mental illness
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Process Assessment, Health Care
Psychiatrists
Psychologists
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Questionnaires
Speech therapy
Western Australia
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Summary:Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are severe developmental conditions that require specialised intervention and lifelong support. Recent increases in ASD prevalence have prompted new initiatives in Western Australia to improve the consistency of assessments and to more accurately monitor diagnostic trends within the population. WA has implemented statewide guidelines for the assessment of ASDs, has developed an open forum for clinicians to discuss issues relating to the assessment process, and supports a statewide register of newly diagnosed cases. These initiatives have led to improved consistency across assessments, allowed analysis of diagnoses over time, and promoted cohesiveness among autism assessors. These strategies potentially provide an alternative model for other states and territories that wish to strengthen and assimilate ASD assessments.
ISSN:0025-729X
1326-5377
DOI:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01623.x