Are you concerned that your child may have ASD? How do you get a referral for a diagnostic assessment?
Referrals can be made by Speech-Language Pathologists, general physicians and paediatricians within the Northern Health region.
Step 1: For pre-school aged children, contact the CDC to make a referral to speech therapy, indicating your concerns. We will complete an assessment of the child’s communication and social skills, write a detailed report and make appropriate referrals for further assessment. SLPs can identify possible signs of autism. Their assessment is often required in order to qualify for an autism assessment.
Step 2: A multidisciplinary team trained to give specific standardized tests from Northern Health or other private agencies can then complete the full assessment to determine a diagnosis.
Here is a helpful website that provides details on What is autism, how to get an assessment, how to access funding etc. : Autism Spectrum Disorder – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca).