Do Local Authorities/NHS recognise your diagnosis?

Our diagnosis is made on recommended international standards such as Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 or ICD-11 which are followed worldwide.

We follow robust assessment guidelines which are NICE* (National Institute of clinical Excellence) compliant. There is no reason why our diagnosis would not be accepted not only in UK but also worldwide. 

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We get requests for assessments from all parts of UK. We have undertaken assessments for children resident in

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Amersham

Bedfordshire

Buckinghamshire

Cambridgeshire

Derbyshire

East Sussex

Edgeware

Greater London

Harrow

Hertfordshire

High Wycombe

Kent

Lincolnshire

Middlesex

West Essex

Wimbledon

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Some of our clinicians have worked across many counties in the UK .

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* The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for driving improvement and excellence in the health and social care system in UK.

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Which guidelines/diagnostic tools do you use? 

All our assessments are based on recommended standard or national guidelines such as National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines and in line with Diagnostic statistical Manual-5 (DSM-5). During the COVID-19 pandemic we are following Public health England Guidelines for face to face assessments.

We are undertaking online assessment tools as per new protocols in order to provide safe and standardised care. Please refer to our COVID-19  safety policy.

For Autism assessments we use a combination of assessment tools depending on the presentation of the child or young person. These include use of:

For Autism some of the following assessment tools may be used

• Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ)

• 3-Di

• ADI-R 

• ADOS-2

• BOSA (Brief Observation of symptoms of Autism)

• TELE-ASD-PEDS

• Children’s Communication Checklist-2

• Neurodevelopmental School Observation Report by School

• Specialist assessment and observations by clinical psychologist and or Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)

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For ADHD some of the following assessment tools may be used

• SNAP-IV questionnaire

• Neurodevelopmental School Observation

Do you offer a multi-disciplinary assessment?

Yes we offer assessments by different clinicians such as speech and language therapist, clinical psychologist, education psychologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist etc. as required for the child.

Do your clinicians have NHS experience? 

Most clinicians working for Autism Doctor have experience of working in the NHS. Our lead clinician Dr Deepshikha Thakur works for the NHS at Peace Children's Centre in Watford. She is the lead doctor for Autism and principal Investigator of KASPAR research project related to interventions in Autism. In addition she is the DesignatedMedical Officer (DMO) In West Hertfordshire and has strategic role in supporting children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND).

How long is your wait list?

We can offer an appointment fairly quickly and flexibly. Typically initial assessment is offered within two to three weeks of us accepting the referral. 

How many appointments would be needed? How long until diagnosis?

This depends on your requirements or what your child is being assessed for.

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ASD

For most children and young people being referred for Autism Assessment, we suggest an initial appointment followed by one or two more sessions with relevant clinicians. We can undertake certain assessments on phone to save travel time and to fit standardised assessment flexibly in the evening so that both parents can participate. This is also safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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ADOS-2/BOSA are usually administered face to face using standardised toys/activities/ questions that are suitable to child’s language levels. This can sometimes be adapted for remote use via a video link. 

TELE-ASD-PEDS assessments can also be undertaken remotely using a video link.

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For many children all of this assessment may be possible to complete within a week or two provided all relevant information is available. Some assessments such as school visits and Speech and depend on mutual availability of staff members and our clinicians. 

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ADHD

You will usually have an initial telephone appointment followed by face to face assessment as well. We will need information usually from school setting to add to the assessment process.

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Developmental assessment

You will usually have an initial telephone appointment followed by face to face assessment as well.

What information do you need for an assessment?

It is helpful to understand why you have come to us for an assessment. If we understand this we can help you best.

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We need information from other sources for a comprehensive assessment. For most children who are in an educational setting, we will request school information via parents. 

We also request parents to send all relevant assessments and reports e.g. Speech and Language therapist (SALT) or clinical psychologist assessments or Education Psychologist report ideally prior to assessment.

What are your rates/charges?

Following cost applies to self-paying parents/carers

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• Initial Assessment for up to 60 minutes: £350

• Initial Assessment for up to 90 minutes: £400

• Initial Assessment for up to 120 minutes: £500

• Follow up to 30 minutes: £150 to £250 dependent on complexity

Any additional time spent over the set limit for assessment, when available, may incur cost of £100 per 30 minutes or part thereof.

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Please note specialist assessments by other professionals such as Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist and Clinical or Education Psychologist, investigations etc. may incur additional cost if not advised initially. 

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Cost of Autism and ADHD assessment depends on a number of factors including the age of the child and complexity of presentation. We request parents to contact Autism Doctor for specific cost relevant to their child.

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All investigations requested as a part of assessment are not included in the assessment cost. They are payable directly to the concerned third party.

There is a small charge for medication prescriptions outside of consultation appointment for example repeat prescriptions.

Cancellation charges:  Any cancellation without a prior notice of at least 48 hrs may be subject to administrative charge of £100/- to cover admin/ room hire fees etc.

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Please pay to the invoice using BACS ( bank transfer).

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Can you help in Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)?

A lot of parents often want support in Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. At a small additional cost we can also help with completing the medical information on the EHCP form when requested by the local following our assessment.

What are your different types of assessments?

We offer a mix of telephone and face to face appointments. All face to face appointments are undertaken as per t Public Health Guidance on COVID-19. 

Initial Assessment

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This is usually offered at the start of a child's assessment process. This allows you to explain your child's needs and allows the professional to formulate a clinical opinion. They will be able to guide you to the most appropriate next step(s). ​Most parents find this helpful when there is lack or clarity or no pre-existing information.

This appointment may be also used to form foundation to the next assessment process such as Autism or developmental assessment.

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The duration of assessment depends on a number of factors and ranges from 30 minutes to 120 minutes.

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You will be told how long it will be in your calendar invite to confirm the appointment.

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3Di Assessment

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The Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview (3Di) is a parental interview usually undertaken as a telephone appointment.  The child is not required for this assessment. One or both parents can join in this interview. It takes about 60 minutes to complete in most circumstances.

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The aim of this interview is to establish how likely it is that your child has symptoms of Autism.

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During this interview the interviewer uses a framework of questions that cover verbal non-verbal communication, social relations as well as rigid repetitive, ritualistic and sensory behaviours of your child. There are often choices of answers to the questions. The interviewer may give you those options as appropriate. The interviewer will ask you some examples of statements that you may have made eg: “he always takes things literally” as today he said “it can’t rain cats and dogs as they are animals not raindrops falling from the sky”.

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At the end of the assessment the clinician will be able to give you a feedback as to whether your child has likelihood of Asperger’s, Autism or Atypical Autism or no Diagnosis. Please note that the terms Asperger’s, Autism are currently not in use as they are all now merged into Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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The 3Di outcome does not mean that the diagnosis is confirmed. The clinician will confirm the diagnosis after collating information from other sources, developmental history and other tools for assessments and information from the 3Di interview.

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You will be guided throughout the interview. If at any stage you are not sure please ask. 

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BOSA (Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism)

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The BOSA provides opportunities for a parent or therapist to engage in social interactions with the child through semi-structured activities, creating a context in which to observe symptoms of autism. It is an adaptation of another tool used for assessment of autism in children called Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). 

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It involves you as parent to administer series of timed activities with your child using standardised toys and equipment's. You will be given instructions on how to administer these on the day. The instructions are fairly simple.

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The clinician will observe this assessment and make notes, ask additional questions as required. The clinician will analyse the observation and report it.

The clinician will confirm the final diagnosis after collating information from other sources, developmental history and other tools for assessments and information from the BOSA.

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TELE ASD PEDS

This assessment can be used in younger children as a remote assessment using video link. During this assessment you will be requested to play and interact with your child using a few toys. The observer notices the spontaneous responses of your child with you when you play and interact with him/her. It is a relaxed session with the planned activities that most parents/carers undertake with their children regularly using commonly available toys.

We will provide you with all the instructions and guidance on how to do it when it has been agreed.

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ADHD Assessment

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An ADHD assessment involves an assessment of your concerns in a standardised format and a face to assessment as well in most circumstances.

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No form of recording is permitted at any stage of any type of assessment 

What is the role of Paediatricians in Autism Assessment?

Paediatricians are best suited to establish a good developmental history which is essential for a diagnosis of Autism.

Paediatricians can also consider other possible diagnosis including serious condition like epilepsy, like Developmental Delay, Dyspraxia, Medical Syndromes, and other medical diagnosis.

Paediatricians are specifically trained for medical examination of children and young people. NICE guidelines recommend physical examination as an essential part of diagnostic assessment  of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

I have medical insurance but I am not sure if I am covered?

Our lead clinician Dr Deepshikha Thakur is recognised by major insurance providers such as

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• Aetna

• Aviva

• AXA

• BUPA

• Cigna

• Healix

• Vitality Health

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Speak to your insurance provider if you are not sure. You will need an authorisation code prior to contacting us for any assessment under insurance.

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Please contact us for individual circumstances.