Your assessment will be held at the Sheffield Adult Autism and Neurodevelopmental Service. You will usually be seen by one clinician in an office or consulting room. There may be another member of staff observing, but we would always ask your permission on arrival before this was agreed. Please let us know if you have any sensory requirements (for example needing us to dim the lights), when you arrive for the assessment.
This appointment typically takes between two and three hours, although in some circumstances more than one appointment may be required. During your appointment you will be able to take breaks if needed; the clinician will discuss this with you at the beginning of your appointment.
The assessment will involve answering questions about your childhood development and past and current experiences of:
Social communication such as:
- Conversation skills e.g., small talk
- Non-verbal communication, e.g., eye contact, understanding of body language and facial expressions.
- Preferred methods of communication e.g., face to face versus online/ telephone
- What you find easy or more difficult in social situations
Social interaction such as:
- Making and maintaining friendships throughout your life
- Whether you prefer structured or activity-focused social contact, or to just talk
- 1:1 versus group interactions
Flexible thinking which involves:
- Use of routines and structures
- Coping with change and whether this causes difficulties
- Repetitive behaviours
- Strong interests or hobbies and collections
Sensory processing
We will ask about any differences in your sensory processing, such as how you experience:
- Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
In addition, we will ask you about the lesser-known senses:
- Proprioception: awareness of your body in space e.g., being clumsy
- Interoception: awareness of what is happening inside your body e.g., pain threshold, noticing being ill
You may find it useful to think about your experiences of these areas prior to your appointment. Some people find it helpful to write down different examples and use their notes as a prompt during the assessment.
You are welcome to bring someone with you to your appointment. If you feel it will be hard to communicate your difficulties during the assessment, it can be helpful to bring someone who knows you well to support you with this.
We aim to let you know at the end of your appointment whether we feel you meet the criteria for a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Please note that although we aim to complete the full assessment and give an outcome on the same day, there are some circumstances where this may not be possible (for instance if we felt unable to gain enough information to give a definite decision) and we may need to arrange a further face-to-face or video appointment at a later date.
If the clinician identifies enough evidence for a diagnosis, this will be provided in a formal report. The report will be posted to you after the assessment.
Post Diagnostic plan
By following this link, you will download a post diagnostic plan detailing next steps, resources and support.