Autism… I may not get what others do although I see what others cannot
Autism Assessment
Some people with ASD grow up without their condition being recognised, but it’s never too late to get a diagnosis. Some people may be scared of being diagnosed because they feel it will “label” them, and lower other people’s expectations of them.
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But there are several advantages to getting a diagnosis. It helps people with the condition and their families understand ASD and decide what sort of support they need. A diagnosis may also make it easier to access autism-specific services and claim benefits. A diagnosis can lead to reasonable adjustments being made within the work environment.
See your GP if you think you may have ASD and ask them to refer you to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist or Psych Consult Belfast.
The National Autistic Society website has information about being diagnosed with ASD if you’re an adult.
If you’re already seeing a specialist for other reasons, you may want to ask them for a referral instead.
Read more about diagnosing ASD in adults and advice for adults living with ASD.
You can also read the NICE guidelines about the recognition, referral, diagnosis and management of adults on the autism spectrum (PDF, 267kb).
We offer prompt, Multidisciplinary diagnostic assessments for adults in line with best practice standards where there are concerns about possible autism spectrum disorder (ASD, including Asperger’s Syndrome).
A Consultant Psychiatrist sees all patients. Our focus is on offering a timely assessment with diagnosis (if appropriate) and provision of a comprehensive report, which can be used for access to specialist support in education, health, training or employment. We do not offer a therapeutic service but rather advise and/or refer regarding onward support from established services as is relevant to each individual case.
We also offer medico-legal assessments in respect of general adult psychiatry.
Dr Tareen has previously been involved in RASDN and in development of ASD services in Northern trust. He is ADOS and DISCO trained. Joanne Murphy also works in Northern Trust ASD diagnostic service.