Masterclass Day 1 - Assessment Beyond Diagnosis to Assist Autistic People with Minimal Speech
This masterclass will provide assessment strategies to increase understanding of the lived experience of minimally speaking autistic individuals, enabling accurate and attuned support and therapy. We provide information on medical and genetic conditions associated with autism, and how to assess mental health, including anxiety, trauma and coping strategies. Specific assessment tools for the formal assessment of intellectual, language, adaptive, sensory and motor abilities are recommended. *Autistic people with minimal speech refers to autistic people who have co-occurring intellectual disability and/or are non-speaking or minimally speaking, may have co-occurring health conditions (e.g. epilepsy), and require lifelong, around-the-clock care. In some research and service contexts, overlapping groups may be described using terms such as profound autism, high support needs, Level 3 or nonspeaking autism; terminology varies across communities and systems.