30/04/2025
Did you know AASP can help with a dual Diagnosis? We work with Diana at ‘A Mind of your Own: Psychology’. Read below if unsure if a diagnosis is right for you or your child.
To diagnose or not to diagnose
That is the question
So you’ve had someone say your child might have traits of Autism or ADHD. It might have been a doctor, teacher, health professional, or even a trusted friend or family member. So what next? I’ve written some information here that might help with the overwhelming process.
For many families it might be that a trusted GP is the first point of call. This might help as you may get an appropriate referral to a neuroaffirming diagnostic clinic like mine. However, it’s up to you whether you see a GP or not. In some cases, you might not have a regular one, or the extra step feels overwhelming in itself. There can be rebates though, which are discussed in the fees/rebates section. Some GP’s also are not trained in neuroaffirming care and might dismiss signs of neurodivergence, which can lead to many individuals and families feeling invalidated. Unfortunately, this has happened for many clients I see, particularly women.
A diagnostic assessment can seem daunting too. On such occasions, we are happy to have an initial parent appointment where you can discuss your child/family, or your own challenges, and together we can decide whether it is valuable to proceed to a formal assessment at this time or later.
In some cases, your child might be eligible for NDIS support without a formal diagnosis. If they are under nine years of age, and have delays in two areas (Speech/Language, Gross/Fine Motor skills, Cognitive skills, Social/Personal skills). In this case you could contact Kudos.
As per their website: ‘ Kudos Services is the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) partner in South Australia delivering the early childhood approach. The early childhood approach is designed to support children aged 0-6 years with developmental concerns or developmental delays and children 0-8 years with disabilities’.
Many parents are hesitant about ‘labelling’ of ‘stigmatising’ their child and/or the reactions of peers, or others, should they receive a diagnosis. While every child and family’s situation is individual, the research shows that overwhelmingly having a child receive an appropriate diagnosis and support accordingly, often assists in the validation of their difficulties and contributes to a positive identity formation in their adolescence. Many adults who received diagnoses in adulthood also consistently report feeling ‘different’, ‘bad’ and or ‘stupid’ in their childhood in light of their struggles in social and academic pursuits. In such cases, having no understanding of their neurodivergence as a child can impact negatively upon their self-esteem and in some cases, lead to depressive and anxious symptoms.
I hope this blog was helpful. If you would like to discuss a diagnosis for yourself, or another person, please contact us to make an appointment.
Thanks for reading.
Diana
