Autism Spectrum Disorder - Autism Help Geelong

In this section you can find information about Autism, Diagnosis, Early Intervention, how autism affects girls and what to do if you suspect a child has autism.

What Is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder or ASD is a broad term used to describe the range of developmental disabilities on the autism spectrum, including autism, high functioning autism ,Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD NOS (pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified) . ASD typically appears during the first three years of life, although it is often not diagnosed until much...

Autism Diagnosis

Diagnosing a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder involves three stages: Screening; Assessment; and, Feedback and Report. The assessment team uses information gathered from parents, doctors, therapists and teachers, as well as their own observations in the child’s home/kindergarten/childcare, and during the formal assessment A diagnosis is formulated after consultation with the child’s paediatrician. Families...

What To Do If You Suspect Autism

If you suspect a child may have Autism Spectrum Disorder, it is very important to act quickly to seek a diagnosis. The child may display a range of behaviours to spark your concern, seem to be going backwards , losing developmental milestones or just be ‘not quite right’ compared to other children. Some common triggers for...

Early Intervention

Early intervention is a range of services and supports designed to meet the early learning needs of children with autism, developmental delay or other diagnosed disability, between the ages of birth and school entry. The services are designed to meet the needs of the child and promote their development and inclusion. Early intervention is a...

Autism & Girls

Stereotypically, when you think of a person with autism you tend to think of a boy obsessed with trains who may not speak. However there are many girls who have autism. Unless they have a very obvious intellectual disability or speech delay they are often less likely to be diagnosed. Many will struggle with school, mental...