Autism Services

This intake assessment is completed by an OT and is used to evaluate your child’s strengths and needs in the domains of sensory processing, self-regulation, self-care tasks, and fine and gross motor development. The OT will meet with you to review a written report which will provide strategies and make recommendations regarding therapy.

Connect with other parents and caregivers who have a child/ youth with autism and share similar experiences to you, whether you are the parent/caregiver of a child who has
received a new diagnosis or who may be focusing on the development of their child/youth’s social and life skills or have a youth transitioning into adult services.
These sessions are facilitated by a Family Service Coordinator in collaboration with clinicians from the McMaster Children’s Hospital Autism Program.

Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) ® Training  is an evidence-based, naturalistic developmental behavioural intervention for children with autism up to age 12 years. This training  includes 2 group sessions for parents/caregivers and 4 individual consultation sessions that involve both child and parent/caregiver participation. You will learn strategies that increase your child’s skills in a specific pivotal area known to produce widespread positive improvements in learning, social communication, and behaviour.

A screening will be completed to determine which pivotal area is most appropriate for your child or to provide recommendations for other services.

Psychoeducational assessments are used to identify areas of strength and need in a student’s learning profile allowing for a deeper understanding of their educational abilities.  It may also be used to a make a decision as to whether their challenges in school can be accounted for by additional diagnoses such as Specific Learning Disorder, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or Intellectual Developmental Disorder.  Recommendations are made to enable students to access appropriate academic accommodations and supports at school, home, and in the community.

All psychological assessments begin with this consultation with a Psychologist to share your questions and concerns about your child/youth so you can determine which type of assessment is best and when it should occur.

Our expert program staff will discuss resources and supports available in the community and/or help you complete funding forms.