If your child is autistic, getting a diagnosis, and a better understanding of their needs, can be a very positive thing. Screening tests are available but should not be seen as an alternative to proper assessment and diagnosis. 

This guide explains how to get your child referred for an autism diagnosis. 

We know this can be a really worrying time but we are here to help.Find out more about what help and support is available. We can also point you towards local sources of help and support. 

Is it autism? 

The characteristics of autism vary from one person to another, but for a diagnosis to be made, a person will usually be assessed as having had persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests. These difficulties will have been present since early childhood and will have affected and limited their everyday life. 

Children can be diagnosed as autistic when they’re quite young, in some cases from the age of two. But not everyone is diagnosed early in life. It’s quite common for a child to not get their diagnosis until they are older, or even an adult, particularly if they don’t have accompanying learning disabilities. 

Some of the main signs that a child may be on the autism spectrum include: 

• not drawing their parents’ or others’ attention to objects or events, for example not pointing at a toy or a book, or at something that is happening nearby (or a child may eventually do this, but later than expected)

• carrying out activities in a repetitive way, for example always playing the same game in the same way, or repeatedly lining toys up in a particular order

• resistance to change or doing things differently

• emerging difficulties with social interaction and social communication

• behaviour such as biting, pinching, kicking, pica (putting inedible items in the mouth), or self-injurious behaviour. 

Read more about diagnostic criteria. 

Getting a referral 

You may have reservations about pursuing a diagnosis for your child. This is your personal choice, but often a diagnosis can bring a sense of relief and help both you and school staff to better understand your child’s needs and how to meet them. It can also help your child by enabling them to identify with their autistic peers. 
 
If you are unsure about pursuing a diagnosis, it can still be a good idea to ask for a referral as you may have a long time to wait for an appointment. This will mean that you are not delaying the process while allowing yourself time to give it more thought. 

Speak to your GP or health visitor 

Make an appointment with your GP (or health visitor in the case of young children). Take along a list of behaviours and characteristics that make you think your child might be autistic. It could be useful to keep a behaviour diary leading up to any appointments after the referral. 

Screening 

If your child is pre-school age, your health visitor or GP may carry out a ‘screening interview’ called M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers). This will not give you a diagnosis, but it is a way of indicating whether your child may be autistic. 

Other tools, sometimes available online or as smartphone apps, also claim to be able to screen for autism. The use of screening or testing tools is potentially problematic as there are many factors affecting a child’s development and many other sensory, physical and mental health conditions that will require specialist investigation. The use of such a tool should not be seen as an alternative to proper assessment and diagnosis. 

If you have a school-age child, it can be useful to make an appointment with the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or Learning Support Teacher to discuss your concerns. Teaching staff may have also identified similar behaviours and characteristics that you can mention to your GP and/or in your child’s diagnostic assessment.  

Referral for a diagnosis 

Once your GP or health visitor is convinced of your child’s difficulties, your child should be referred for a formal assessment (diagnosis). You may have to wait some time before you actually go for the assessment. In the meantime, your child could be referred to other teams such as a speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, or education support services. These professionals might help you to better understand your child's needs. 

Your child should have a multi-disciplinary diagnostic assessment – that is, an assessment by a team of professionals. The team might include, for example, a paediatrician, a speech and language therapist and a specialist psychologist. 

If your child is referred to an individual professional, it’s important that they are experienced in diagnosing autism. 

Private assessments 

Private diagnosis is an option, if you can pay for one, and can reduce the waiting time. The costs of private assessments can vary, so it’s a good idea to phone several services to ask about costs, what this pays for and whether any follow-up service is offered. 

Some local authorities may not accept the results of private diagnoses. They might insist upon an NHS diagnosis before they will provide services to you and your child. For this reason, we suggest that you stay on the waiting list for an NHS assessment even if you also decide to go privately.  

Next steps 

• Read our diagnostic assessment guide 
• Find diagnostic services in our Autism Services Directory.