Autism in Children: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment

Is your child showing symptoms that suggest they may have autism? Led by a highly specialist psychologist-therapist team, we offer private autism assessments to reach or rule out an autism diagnosis. If your child has autism, we can create a bespoke treatment plan to help them manage their symptoms.

Read on to learn more about what ASD is, the symptoms of autism in children and our approach to diagnosis and treatment. 

What is child ASD?

ASD stands for autism spectrum disorder. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition (at the most severe end, it is a condition that affects brain development). It’s usually diagnosed in childhood. Autism is described as a spectrum disorder, as there is a wide variety in the type and severity of symptoms that people experience. Everyone with an autism diagnosis is on the spectrum — but some people are further along it than others. ASD affects how a child perceives and interacts with other people. This can cause problems in communication and social interaction. Scientists are not certain why some people are further along the spectrum than others. Research suggests it is mainly down to several genetic factors. It is important to understand that autism is not due to the relationship between a child and their caregivers.

Symptoms of autism in children

Symptoms of ASD vary depending on the child, their age, and other additional difficulties they may have. For example, a learning disability.

At the severe end of the autism spectrum, children may struggle with many aspects of life and they may not reach the usual developmental milestones. 

A child with severe ASD may have trouble with:

Speech

Walking

Eating

At the mild end of the spectrum, children with ASD may struggle with:

Anxiety

Social relationships

Reading social cues

Rigid behaviour

Transitions (moving between activities)

Eye contact

Sensory issues

Children with mild ASD may be inflexible in the way that they play and become upset or aggressive when things don’t go their way. Some children will develop specific interests and become obsessed with them. They may become distressed if moved on from the activity. Some will struggle with eye contact, while for others this may be such a minor issue that is not noticeable. Many children with ASD have sensory issues. For example, finding the sensation of water either very distressing or enjoying it so much that it becomes obsessional. It is much more difficult to detect autism in girls as most of the research so far has been focused on boys. Therefore, it’s important to find a specialist in this area if you have concerns about girls with autism. Dr Jenna Vyas-Lee is an autism specialist who can help to diagnose and treat children of all genders who may be experiencing ASD. 

Autism diagnosis

At Kove, we use tools which are considered the “gold standard” in autism diagnosis. Firstly, we spend time with the child, following what is known as the Autism Diagnostic Schedule (ADOS-2). Then, we spend time with the parents, following what is known as the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI). We also gather information from the school or nursery. There is often more than one qualified clinician undertaking the assessment. The information we gather is assessed against internationally recognised criteria (DSM-5). Then, we can make decisions about the diagnosis. Once autism has been diagnosed, we can discuss a treatment plan to help your child manage their symptoms. 

Who can diagnose autism spectrum disorder?

Watch this video featuring Dr Jenna Vyas-Lee to find out who can diagnose autism.

Autism treatment

There is no cure for autism. For this reason, it is important to avoid fake and harmful treatments that claim to “cure” or help someone “recover” from the condition.

A diagnosis and treatment plan is only needed when the impact of the symptoms is affecting day-to-day functioning. Effective treatment can improve day-to-day functioning for some children with ASD. Treatment aims to help a young person manage their condition to the best of their abilities. At Kove, we approach ASD treatment holistically. First, we set goals and expectations. Then, we think about which professionals need to be involved to help the young person live their life to the fullest. Treatment starts by looking at symptoms and can help manage emotional difficulties and behaviours. Several treatments have been developed for use with young children.

One of the models we use is adapted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a tailored version of CBT to suit your child’s specific ASD symptoms. Adapted CBT can support parents, children and teachers to navigate the condition. We can also help you identify environments that are specially adapted for neurodiverse people. For example, ASD-friendly cinemas or specific ASD-friendly times at shopping centres. Our strong belief is that we should all be working together to ensure our communities are as inclusive as possible. There’s a huge need for neurotypical people to help adapt environments to make them more friendly to those who are neurodiverse. 

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Book a private autism assessment

If you think your child may have autism, we can help. We offer private autism assessments and autism diagnoses. A proper diagnosis will help your child get the right support to manage their condition. Please get in touch to arrange an initial consultation so we can explore ways to support you and your child. At Kove, we are a leading provider of autism treatment in London.

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