Dr Tiffany Gerlich
Clinical Psychologist & Clinical Neuropsychologist
Leads the diagnostic evaluation and states the diagnostic opinion. Holds endorsements in clinical neuropsychology and clinical psychology. Dr Gerlich's profile
Autism & ADHD · children and adolescents · Southport, Gold Coast Autism and ADHD assessment for children and teenagers, and support after it.
Autism and ADHD assessment for children and adolescents from the preschool years to 18, guideline-informed, drawing on parents, school and direct assessment alongside your paediatrician or psychiatrist. The feedback covers what helps next, for your child and for your family.
Another question? All child and adolescent care.
- Preschool years to 18
- Interviews and feedback by telehealth; your child is seen in person
- No referral needed for a private assessment
- Medicare items for suspected autism with a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist referral, not ADHD alone
For paediatricians, psychiatrists and GPs
Our assessment provides the allied health component of a diagnostic work-up under the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia. The report returns to you to inform the diagnosis and the treatment and management plan. For suspected ADHD, we provide multi-setting evidence and a cognitive profile to inform your diagnosis and treatment decisions.
What the assessment comprises
- Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) with a caregiver
- Multi-informant standardised rating scales across settings
- Direct observation, and standardised assessment of attention, executive function and cognition where indicated
- Integration against DSM-5-TR criteria and the differentials
Medicare
Item 82000 and its telehealth equivalents apply when you refer, as a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist, for a suspected complex neurodevelopmental disorder. They cover up to eight assessment services, shared across the allied health professions involved, with your review after the first four; treatment then uses item 82015.
A GP referral alone does not attract these items for suspected autism, and they do not apply to ADHD without another neurodevelopmental condition.
How to refer
Online referral form or email; every referral is acknowledged on receipt.
Is this the right assessment?
A good fit when
- Differences in social communication, play, flexibility or sensory responses have been noticed at home, in early childhood education or at school
- Inattention, impulsivity or overactivity is affecting learning or relationships in more than one setting
- A paediatrician, psychiatrist, GP or teacher has raised the question, an earlier assessment was inconclusive, or the picture has changed with age
- School adjustments or an NDIS application need a formal assessment, or anxiety, learning or behaviour are complicating the picture
Another path may be better
For children under about three where development in general is the question, our developmental assessment comes first. Where speech and language is the main concern, a speech pathologist can assess this directly. Where the worry is anxiety, low mood or behaviour without a specific diagnostic question, therapy is usually the better first step; see emotional wellbeing and behaviour. For adults, see our adult ADHD assessment.
What the assessment includes
Your child's story from the start
A parent interview on development and behaviour from infancy onwards, which for autism questions follows a structured format, with any earlier reports reviewed.
How your child is at home and at school
Standardised scales completed by parents and, with your consent, teachers, covering social communication, repetitive behaviours and interests, attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, executive function, anxiety and everyday skills.
Time with your child
Structured observation of social communication, interaction, play and flexibility, and standardised assessment of attention and executive function. Cognitive testing is included where it helps to interpret the picture.
Weighing it up, and feedback
The findings are weighed against the diagnostic criteria and the alternatives that can look similar, including language disorder, anxiety, trauma, intellectual disability and learning disorders. A written report and a feedback appointment follow, and with your consent the report goes to your paediatrician, GP and school.
How a diagnosis is reached
Autism and ADHD are not identified by a single test. They are understood from a developmental history, from how a child functions in more than one setting, and from direct assessment, weighed together.
Autism
The national guideline describes a comprehensive needs assessment, then a diagnostic evaluation led by a qualified practitioner who consults at least one other relevant practitioner, with a consensus team evaluation where the presentation is complex. Our clinical neuropsychologist leads the diagnostic evaluation, states a diagnostic opinion, and arranges a consensus evaluation where the guideline calls for one. Where a paediatrician or psychiatrist has referred under Medicare, our report goes to them: they make the diagnosis and prepare the treatment and management plan.
ADHD
ADHD is diagnosed from a developmental history and evidence of impairing inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity across settings, with other explanations considered. Our assessment gathers that evidence from several informants and settings, describes your child's attention and executive function profile, and states whether the criteria are met. Treatment decisions, including medication, sit with your paediatrician or psychiatrist.
Autism and ADHD frequently co-occur, and anxiety, language disorder, learning disorders and trauma can each resemble parts of either. Differences are described as differences, and strengths are recorded alongside difficulties.
After the assessment
The feedback appointment is where the assessment turns into a plan.
For your child
The findings are explained to your child in a way that fits their age, strengths first. The report names the adjustments that help at school, which schools can put in place under the national data collection straight away. Where anxiety, emotional regulation or adjusting to the diagnosis is part of the picture, therapy with us or closer to home can follow. For ADHD, treatment and medical review sit with your paediatrician or psychiatrist, who can also refer for Medicare-rebated treatment once the diagnosis is confirmed.
For your family
The report describes functional impact in the terms an NDIS access request or plan review uses. We point you to the Australian organisations that support autistic children, children with ADHD and their families, listed on our helpful links page. Where the assessment does not find autism or ADHD, the report says what does explain the picture and what would help.
Who you will see
Diagnostic evaluations are led by a clinical neuropsychologist whose endorsements are among those the national guideline recognises for leading an autism diagnostic evaluation. Qualifications and AHPRA registration are on the team page.
Elie Walsh
Psychologist · Clinical Neuropsychology Registrar
Works with Dr Gerlich on autism and ADHD assessment, a focus of Elie's work, drawing on information from home and school. Elie Walsh's profile
Fees and funding
Private
No referral is needed. The assessment is quoted individually, with a written estimate before booking and a booking fee credited to the total. Fees are based on clinician time at $250 to $290 an hour. Fees and policies.
Medicare
Rebates apply with a consultant paediatrician or psychiatrist referral for a possible complex neurodevelopmental disorder, such as autism, or an eligible disability: up to eight assessment services under 25, shared across the allied health professions involved, then up to 20 treatment services once the diagnosis is confirmed. The items do not apply to ADHD without another neurodevelopmental condition. We can suggest how to arrange a referral.
NDIS
The NDIS does not usually fund assessment whose purpose is diagnosis. It may fund assessment that describes functional needs, and our reports are written so they can support an access request or plan review. We work with plan- and self-managed participants.
Common questions
Can you diagnose autism?
Yes. Our clinical neuropsychologist is qualified under the national guideline to lead a diagnostic evaluation, and states a diagnostic opinion in the report. Where the presentation is complex or uncertain, we arrange a consensus team evaluation with your paediatrician and other professionals.
Can you diagnose ADHD in my child?
The Australian ADHD guideline does not restrict diagnosis to a particular profession; only prescribing is restricted to medical practitioners. Our assessment gathers the multi-setting evidence the guideline requires and states whether the criteria are met.
What age can a child be assessed for autism?
Signs of autism can be recognised in the second year of life. An assessment can be reliable from around two to three years, when it draws on a developmental history, direct observation and information from more than one setting. For children under about three we usually begin with a developmental assessment and your paediatrician's review; older children and adolescents are assessed directly. Older children and adolescents can be assessed at any age.
What if the assessment does not find autism or ADHD?
Then the report says so, and says what does explain what you have been seeing, which is often anxiety, a language or learning difficulty, or a mix of things. It recommends what would help, including therapy or a learning assessment where either is the next step.
Request an assessment
Tell us your child's age, what has been noticed and whether a paediatrician is already involved. We reply within two working days with whether a full assessment is the right next step, the likely fee and the first available appointment.
Prefer to start by email? Write to enquiry at brainandmind.com.au. Referring doctor or school? Make a referral. Phone enquiries are welcome during business hours on 0452 452 262.
Sources
Autism CRC, National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia; Australian ADHD Professionals Association, Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for ADHD; MBS Online, Complex neurodevelopmental disorder and eligible disability items; Rutter M, Le Couteur A, Lord C., Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R).