Do I need an Autism / ADHD Diagnosis?

Do i need a diagnosis for Autism, ADHD or learning disability?

A friend of mine has been having challenges with her daughter, regular meltdowns, anxiety, low self esteem, inattention, problems with reading and writing. The school psychologist had suggested that her daughter may be autistic. My friend asked my advice on the benefits of an ADHD and Autism assessment for her child.

Undertaking an Autism and ADHD Assessment is a personal and expensive decision. No matter how prepared you are for hearing that your child is Autistic, in my opinion you are far better to have this knowledge than to spend your life questioning your child’s symptoms. Once you have recovered from the shock of an Autism or ADHD diagnosis, you will find that the knowledge of your child’s condition helps you and your family support your child through their development.

How to obtain a formal diagnosis for ADHD or Autism

Obtaining an Autism or ADHD diagnosis in Australia is complex and expensive and requires firstly, a GP referral to a Paediatrician and then for a Paediatrician to formally diagnose the condition against the DSM-5. Whilst a GP referral isn’t hard to get, obtaining an appointment from a GP isn’t hard, getting an appointment with a paediatrician is almost impossible. In Australia, there are only 2,000 a qualified paediatrician’s1.

Autism and ADHD Diagnostic Process

There are countless ways’ that you can proceed with an Autism or ADHD Diagnosis. However unfortunately in Australia, the only way for a diagnosis to be formally recognised, is if it is confirmed by a registered Paediatrician’s2. This sounds easy in theory, however there is a major shortage of qualified Paediatrician’s in the Australia with only approximately 2,000 registered across the country.

If you are lucky enough to get into a Paediatrician they can either diagnose your child based on the autistic or adhd symptoms you report in your consultation. However many will refer you to a Clinical Psychologist for an Autism or ADHD Assessment.

If you want to circumvent the timeframe you can elect to either have your GP refer you to a psychologist or engage a psychologist independently to undertake an Autism or ADHD assessment, however these assessments are costly. We spent $3,500 on a full educational assessment and Autism Diagnosis for our daughter. I have known other families who have paid for the assessment first while they wait for an appointment with a paediatrician, however several families have advised that their paediatricians have either their own preferred suppliers,

Challenges in obtaining an Autism or ADHD Diagnosis

There are many hurdles in obtaining a formal Autism or ADHD Diagnosis in Australia. First and foremost there is a major skill shortage in Paediatric medicine in Australia. However before this, there is also another barrier in the knowledge or your General Practitioner. With the average Age of GP’s in Australia being in their’ 50’s, many GP’s undertook their training prior to Autism properly hit their radar3. This presents a serious issue and barrier in obtaining a referral and diagnosis which has repercussions for all children, especially girls whose symptoms are far less obvious than boys.

These challenges, combined with the differences in presentations between girls and boys. Current research has indicated that girls are very much overlooked for an autism diagnosis and ADHD diagnosis as their symptoms manifest more subtly and does result in girls not benefiting from early intervention approaches and treatments that boys receive. The gender differences in ADHD and Autism Presentation is a serious barrier in diagnosis.

Whilst there is no perfect approach to obtaining a diagnosis, you can chose to either go down the Allied Health Pathway and get your Autism and ADHD Assessments done prior to engaging a doctor, or you can rely solely on your GP to recognise your symptoms and refer you for a diagnosis.

    Tips for parents in getting an Autism or ADHD Diagnosis

    Navigating your child’s development is a hard and none knows your child more than you do so trust your instincts. unfortunately there are many barriers with the costs involved in obtaining a diagnosis, the lack of research and training on the medical fraternity and the education system, and a major skill shortage that impacts the cost and accessibility of obtaining a diagnosis. As a mother who has navigated this system, my key advice to any parent in whether to obtain a diagnosis or not include:

    • Trust your instincts, if you believe that something isn’t ‘right’ with your child’s development, trust this.
    • Don’t be afraid to advocate and agitate the system. There is some real merit in calling a Doctors office every few days to see if you can get on their cancellation list.
    • If you can get an appointment quickly with a paediatrician, ask their reception staff on what the doctor’s position on diagnosis ADHD and Autism and medication. Many doctors’ don’t believe in medicating children who have ADHD, as someone who has ADHD and takes medication, I believe wholeheartedly that this has changed my life. Not everyone who has ADHD will elect to treat with medication, but you and your child deserve to make that decision and not let a doctor’s bias influence you.
    • Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion if you’re not happy with the advice of your doctor or allied health professionals.
    • Speak to your friends, family and colleagues. You will be very surprised at how many people have either navigated these issues themselves, or are navigating Autism and ADHD on behalf of their children. Unfortunately social stigma’s tend to see people keep these diagnosis’ to themselves.

    What are the benefits to an ADHD or Autism Diagnosis?

    There are many benefits to obtaining a formal diagnosis of ADHD or Autism if your child has these symptoms. These include:

    • Greater knowledge of your child’s strengths and challenges
    • Understanding and recommendations of what supports your child needs to help them with their limitations.
    • Without a formal diagnosis your child will not be able to access the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) if their diagnosis deems them eligible.
    • A formal diagnosis forces your child’s school to provide reasonable adjustments for them including, but not limited to an Individual Education Plan, Supports that they need in class to support their learning, additional time for tests if required.
    • Access to additional supports for you and your family including Carers Gateway if you area the primary carer for a child with a disability.

    Thoughts on an ADHD and Autism Diagnosis?

    It is a very personal decision as to whether you proceed with a diagnosis, I can say from my own experience that receiving my own ADHD Diagnosis in my 40’s and as a mother of an Autistic and ADHD daughter, that knowledge is power. When I received these diagnosis’ it enabled me to research and understand myself and my child more and provide her with the support, love and caring she needs based on her own strengths and challenges.

    1. https://hwd.health.gov.au/resources/publications/factsheet-mdcl-paediatrics-child-health-2016.pdf ↩︎
    2. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/autism ↩︎
    3. https://www.autismawareness.com.au/aupdate/how-to-get-the-best-out-of-your-gp#:~:text=Many%20GPs%20(over%2040%25%2C,paediatrics%20may%20be%20very%20limited. ↩︎