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According to the findings of a recent survey sponsored by the Department of health, "over half the parents (55%) reported that they had difficulty in obtaining a diagnosis.
They cite severe delays, large numbers of consultations and medical staff unable to commit themselves".
If you wish to have the LOVAAS-styled Programme (now called ABA - Applied Behavioural Analysis) stated in your child's special educational needs statement as his/her provision, then it is essential that a diagnosis of autism of some form is given by a paediatrician or a psychologist.
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Many General Practitioners (GPs) would not be able to diagnose autism simply because they may never have seen a case. They may not even suspect it.
If you suspect a deeper problem, you should ask your GP to do a CHAT test. CHAT stands for "Checklist of Autism in Toddlers" which has been developed by Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge University after an extensive research project. CHAT is not a diagnosis method.
It is a checklist that is recommended by the researchers (and some health authorities are gradually getting to know about it) to be included in the 18 month check of all toddlers by GPs or health visitors.
The CHAT checklist is available in the membership information pack. If a child fails the test, it does not mean the child is necessarily autistic, but it suggests that there may be presently something wrong, which could be autism.
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