A careful, Consultant Psychiatrist-led assessment for adults and children who want a clearer understanding of whether autism may help explain longstanding differences in communication, relationships, routines, sensory experience or day-to-day life.
Children's autism assessment fees are quoted individually. Your assessment is considered in context — not reduced to a checklist.
People come to an autism assessment for many different reasons. Some have wondered for years whether autism might help explain their experience. Others are seeking clarity for a child, or are trying to make sense of questions that overlap with ADHD, anxiety or other aspects of mental health.
You may have noticed patterns in communication, relationships, routines or sensory experience that have been present for a long time but never fully made sense.
Parents may be looking for a clearer understanding of differences that are affecting school, friendships, family life or everyday routines.
Some adults reach assessment after years of adapting, compensating or appearing to cope while finding social or sensory demands unusually effortful.
Sometimes autism is not the only question. ADHD and autism can overlap, and a careful assessment should leave room for complexity rather than forcing the experience into one explanation too early.
None of these experiences confirms autism on its own. An assessment is a way to look at the wider picture carefully and decide what the evidence supports.
We will explain what information is needed and what your appointments will involve before you commit to the assessment. The aim is to build a rounded clinical picture rather than make a judgement from a single questionnaire or conversation.
Tell us who the assessment is for and what you would like help understanding. You do not need to work out the diagnosis yourself before contacting us.
We will confirm what background or developmental information is useful for your assessment. Depending on the individual, this may include information about earlier development and day-to-day experience.
The assessment explores the question in context: current experience, relevant history and other factors that may help explain the overall picture.
The information gathered is considered together before an outcome is reached. The purpose is accuracy and understanding, not to produce a predetermined diagnosis.
We discuss the outcome with you, provide a written report and talk through appropriate next steps.
For a child, understanding development and everyday context can be especially important. The team will confirm what information is useful and who should contribute before the assessment begins.
For adults, assessment may involve looking back at earlier life as well as understanding present-day experience. This can be particularly helpful when someone has spent years adapting, masking or finding their own ways to manage.
The process should fit the person being assessed — not force every child or adult through identical wording or assumptions.
Autism and ADHD can overlap, and some people arrive with a genuine question about both. Difficulties with attention, social communication, routines, sensory experience, overwhelm or executive functioning do not always point neatly to one explanation.
If the information you share suggests that both ADHD and autism may need to be considered, we can discuss whether a Combined ADHD & Autism Assessment is a more appropriate starting point.
This is not an online diagnosis or a sales route into a larger package. It is simply a way to make sure the clinical question is framed properly before you proceed.
The Thistle Clinic is Consultant Psychiatrist-led. We place senior clinical judgement at the centre of assessment because neurodevelopmental questions can be complex, particularly when traits overlap or there are other mental-health considerations.
Your assessment will be allocated to an appropriate clinician from our neurodevelopmental team. We will confirm who is involved before your assessment begins.
Meet our clinical team →Children's autism assessment fees are quoted individually. Before you book, we will confirm the fee and exactly what your assessment includes in writing. Following the assessment, we provide a written report and discuss appropriate next steps.
Appointments may be available online or in person, depending on the individual and the requirements of the assessment. If you have a preference, tell us when you enquire. We will confirm the appropriate format before you book.
The purpose of an assessment is not to confirm a diagnosis that has already been assumed. It is to understand the evidence carefully.
If the assessment does not support an autism diagnosis, that is still a meaningful clinical outcome. We will explain the outcome, the report will reflect the assessment findings, and we will discuss appropriate next steps based on what has emerged.
You do not need to have the answer before you contact us. Tell us what you are trying to understand and we can help you identify the most appropriate next step. See Fees or Contact us directly.
