If you suspect that your child may have autism, you may like to take a screening test. The results are not a diagnosis, but they may help with your decision to seek a formal assessment. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose your child.

Online tests leave out many things, including things that only a skilled diagnostician will be able to assess. All online tests can do is ask for your opinions about your child’s behaviour.

Below is an example of an autism screening test:

ASDetect – autism detection for children aged 11-30 months.

If you would like to access a publicly funded assessment (i.e. free to access), you should book an appointment with your GP to request a referral. If you are already seeing a specialist for other reasons, you may wish to raise the matter with them first.

It would be helpful if the GP you see has an understanding of autism. Consider taking along a copy of the online screening test result or the “Does this person have autism?” quick card, as it may be a helpful guide when discussing characteristics that you think apply to your child. Alternatively, you may like to refer to the characteristics of autism page of the Autism New Zealand website.

The New Zealand Autism Guideline outlines the referral and assessment process in the public system for children and young people. Your GP will be able to make a referral for an assessment in the public system.

If the referral is not accepted, your GP may be able to refer you to an autism-experienced Psychologist or Psychiatrist in the private system. You can also look on the Community Links page of the Autism New Zealand website to see a list of private diagnosticians in your area.

The above quick card “Does this person have autism?” is also available in the following languages: Maori, Cook Island Maori, Samoan and Tongan.

GPs are able to refer children to a Developmental Paediatrician or another qualified clinician for a publicly-funded assessment for autism. Depending on your area and the age of your child these referrals may go to Paediatrics, the Child Development Service or the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

In some areas referrals for publicly funded assessments can also be made by other health services, such as Well Child/Tamariki Ora/Plunket and education services, such as an early childhood teacher at your child’s kindergarten or day care centre.

If the referral is accepted children and young people under the age of 19 years should access a Developmental Services/ASD Coordinator to help with coordination of the autism assessment process and post-diagnostic support services. Depending on your region, the Developmental Services/ASD Coordinator may help before, during, after or throughout the whole assessment process.

You will be contacted by the organisation you were referred to. This will vary depending on your area, but it may be a public hospital.

You may be placed on a waiting list or provided with an appointment date, which could be weeks or months in the future. You may also be asked for further information before being offered an appointment.

Some families choose to seek a diagnosis privately (with a personal cost for the assessment). Qualified clinicians who can provide a diagnosis include autism-experienced Psychologists and Psychiatrists. You can look on the Community Links page of the Autism New Zealand website or ask your local Autism New Zealand Outreach Coordinator for a list of known clinicians in your area.

Most private diagnostic services accept self-referrals and referrals from agencies. Once you have contacted the clinician, they will arrange a time with you for the assessment. Wait times and costs for these assessments vary.

The clinician may be a Developmental Paediatrician, Child Psychiatrist, or Clinical Psychologist. It is recommended that a team of clinicians complete the assessment, which could also include a Speech Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist.

The clinician may need to meet with you more than once to ask you questions and gather the information they need to form a diagnosis. This will include observing your child and they may speak to others, such as educators, about your child. They will then produce a report that outlines their findings and the diagnosis. The diagnosis provided may confirm autism or provide an alternative explanation or guidance.

The content of the report is generally discussed with you prior to being sent through to your GP. Reports prepared via a private diagnosis may not automatically be shared with your GP. You may like to ask who will have access to the report, and request they receive a copy.

The Ministry of Health and Education resource: How is autism diagnosed? provides further information on the diagnostic process. It can be helpful to collect as much information as you can about your child starting from birth (e.g. friendships and social situations, communication skills, behaviours and interests, sensory processing). Include information about family members who have been diagnosed with autism.

Depending on the conclusions in the report, you may be referred for additional services. These could include appointments with a Psychologist or Psychiatrist, speech language therapy, or behaviour support. In some cases you might be eligible for publicly funded services, outlined on the Understanding Autism page of the Autism New Zealand website.

You can also self-refer to an Outreach Coordinator at Autism New Zealand. This is a free service provided nationwide and available at any stage of the diagnosis journey. Outreach Coordinators can help you navigate information on autism, advise on educational options, and suggest services available for you and your child.

If you suspect that you may have autism, you may like to take a screening test. The results are not a diagnosis, but they may help with your decision to seek a formal assessment. Only a qualified clinician can diagnose you.

Online tests leave out many things, including things that only a skilled diagnostician will be able to assess. All online tests can do is ask for your opinions about your own behaviour.

Below is an example of an autism screening test:

Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Test

If you would like to access a publicly funded assessment (i.e. free to access), you should book an appointment with your GP to request a referral. If you are already seeing a specialist for other reasons, you may wish to raise the matter with them first.

It would be helpful if the GP you see has an understanding of autism. Consider taking along a copy of the online screening test result or the “does this person have autism” quick card, as it may be a helpful guide when discussing characteristics that you think apply to you. Alternatively, you may like to refer to the characteristics of autism page on the Autism New Zealand website.

While the New Zealand Autism Guideline recommends that specialist diagnostic assessment should be publicly available for all people who may have autism, this is not currently the case for adults. It can be challenging for adults to access a publicly funded assessment for autism. In some cases a referral is only accepted if the adult has a co-occurring intellectual disability or mental health condition. Occasionally a referral is accepted without any co-occurring conditions.

Regardless, GPs can send a referral to the appropriate local Adult Mental Health Service. Although autism is not a mental health condition, it can be diagnosed by Psychologists or Psychiatrists who work for the Adult Mental Health Service.

If the referral is not accepted, your GP may be able to refer you to an autism-experienced Psychologist or Psychiatrist in the private system. You can also look on the Community Links page of the Autism New Zealand website to see a list of private diagnosticians in your area.

The above quick card “Does this person have autism” is also available in the following languages: Maori, Cook Island Maori, Samoan and Tongan.

Some people prefer to seek an assessment for diagnosis privately (with a personal cost for the assessment). Qualified clinicians who can provide diagnosis include autism-experienced Psychologists and Psychiatrists. You can find links to local private diagnostic services on the Community Links page of the Autism New Zealand website or you may like to ask your local Autism New Zealand Outreach Coordinator for a list of known clinicians in your area.

Most private diagnostic services accept self-referrals and referrals from agencies. After you have made contact with the clinician you select, they will arrange a time with you for the assessment. Wait times for the assessments vary, and there will be a cost for private assessment.

The clinician will likely be a Psychologist or Psychiatrist. It is recommended that a team of clinicians with experience in autism diagnosis complete the assessment, but this is not always possible.

The clinician may need to meet with you more than once to ask you questions and gather the information they need to form a diagnosis. They may want to speak with someone who has known you when you were a child. They will then produce a report that outlines their findings and the diagnosis. The diagnosis provided may confirm autism or provide an alternative explanation or guidance.

Reports prepared via a private diagnosis may not automatically be shared with your GP.  You may like to ask who will have access to the report, and request they receive a copy.

Depending on the conclusions in the report, you may be referred for additional services. Services that may be offered could include appointments with a Psychologist, or a Psychiatrist. In some cases you might also be eligible for publicly funded services outlined on the Understanding Autism page of the Autism New Zealand website.

You can also self-refer to a local Outreach Coordinator at Autism New Zealand. This is a free service provided nationwide and available at any stage of the diagnosis journey. Outreach Coordinators can help you navigate information on autism and suggest supports and services available for you and your support network.