Intro:
A practical checklist to help parents and caregivers organise what they have noticed, speak with teachers and professionals, and prepare for the next steps.
Start with what you have noticed
Wondering whether your child may be autistic can bring many questions.
You do not need to diagnose your child yourself. Your role is to notice patterns, write down your concerns and share clear examples with appropriately qualified professionals.
No single behaviour confirms autism, and checklists or screening tools should not be used on their own to diagnose or rule out autism.
Questions to ask yourself
Think about your child’s everyday life. You may find it helpful to write down specific examples.
Communication
- How does my child usually communicate what they want or need?
- Have I noticed differences in speech or language development?
- Do they use gestures, facial expressions, pictures, sounds or other ways of communicating?
- Do they sometimes repeat words or phrases?
- Do they appear to understand instructions differently from other children of a similar age?
Interaction and play
- How does my child interact with parents, siblings and other children?
- Do they prefer playing alone, alongside others or together with others?
- How do they respond when someone tries to join their play?
- Are there particular activities or interests they return to repeatedly?
Routine and change
- Does my child prefer things to happen in a particular order?
- How do they respond when plans or routines change unexpectedly?
- Are transitions — such as leaving home, changing activities or going somewhere unfamiliar — particularly difficult?
Sensory experiences
- Are there sounds, lights, smells, foods, clothes or textures that seem particularly uncomfortable?
- Does my child seek particular sensations, movements or sounds?
- Are busy or noisy environments difficult for them?
Autistic children can show a wide variety of characteristics, and signs may appear differently depending on age, environment and the individual child.
Ask what other people have noticed
A child may behave differently at home, school and in other environments.
Consider asking a teacher, caregiver or another adult who knows your child well:
- What have you noticed about their communication?
- How do they interact with other children?
- How do they cope with changes in routine?
- Are there situations they appear to find overwhelming?
- What helps them participate or feel comfortable?
- Have you noticed any particular strengths or interests?
- Are there differences between what happens at school and what happens at home?
Information from parents, caregivers, teachers and other professionals can contribute to a developmental assessment. NICE specifically recommends taking parents’ concerns seriously and gathering information from different sources when autism is being considered.
Questions to ask a professional
Depending on the services available where you live, you might speak with a doctor, paediatrician, psychologist, speech and language professional or another appropriately qualified developmental professional.
You can ask:
- Do the things I have described suggest that my child needs a developmental assessment?
- Could there be other explanations for what we are seeing?
- What type of assessment would be appropriate?
- Who should be involved in the assessment?
- What information should I bring with me?
- Should my child’s hearing, speech, language or other areas of development also be assessed?
- What support can we begin now, even before an autism assessment is completed?
- What should I do if I remain concerned after this appointment?
Autism assessment should consider a child’s broader development rather than relying on one test or one behaviour. NICE recommends that assessment can involve professionals from areas such as paediatrics, psychology and speech and language, depending on the child’s needs.
What should I take to an appointment?
You do not need to prepare a complicated report.
Bring simple information such as:
- when you first became concerned
- examples of behaviours or communication you have noticed
- developmental milestones you remember
- comments or observations from school
- information from previous assessments, if there have been any
- relevant health information
- a list of your main questions
Writing things down before the appointment can make it easier to remember the details you want to discuss.
Don’t focus only on difficulties
Also tell the professional what your child enjoys and what they do well.
Think about:
- activities they enjoy
- subjects or interests they engage with strongly
- situations where they communicate particularly well
- what helps them remain calm or comfortable
- people and environments where they appear most confident
- strategies that already work at home or school
Understanding a child should include their strengths, preferences and support needs, not simply a list of difficulties.
What if someone tells me to “wait and see”?
Sometimes monitoring development for a period may be appropriate.
However, if you remain concerned, it is reasonable to raise the issue again and explain what you continue to observe. NICE guidance states that parents’ and caregivers’ concerns about development or behaviour should be taken seriously, even when other people do not initially share those concerns.
When should I seek medical advice promptly?
Seek professional medical advice promptly if your child:
- loses language or communication skills they previously had
- loses movement or other developmental skills
- develops seizures
- is seriously harming themselves
- has significant eating, sleeping or other health problems
- shows another sudden or concerning change in development
Loss of previously acquired skills deserves professional assessment and should not simply be assumed to be autism.
Remember: assessment is about understanding
An autism assessment should help build a clearer picture of how your child communicates, learns, interacts and experiences the world.
Whatever the outcome, identifying your child’s individual needs can help families and professionals make better decisions about support.
A note from Sahaad
Sahaad Empowerment Foundation provides information to help families understand autism, prepare for conversations with professionals and make informed decisions.
This checklist cannot diagnose autism and is not a substitute for professional medical or developmental assessment.
If you are concerned about your child’s development, speak with an appropriately qualified professional.
Understand autism. Support families. Build inclusion.