ANNOUNCEMENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our assessment waitlist in Ottawa is currently closed to new clients, except for children under the age of 3.
Our assessment waitlist will continue to remain open to clients of all ages in the Sault Ste. Marie area.
Clinicians currently accepting referrals for intervention are:
Joey Robertson and Gianna Colizza.
All inquiries about our waitlist should be directed to admin@emergingminds.ca and we will connect with you as soon as openings become available.
If you need immediate services or are in crisis, please visit your local emergency department, consult your family physician, or contact a local community support service.
Supporting autistic children and their families for over 10 years
At Emerging Minds, we are an interdisciplinary team
with a focus on helping children, adolescents, adults and families with autism
and other neurodevelopmental challenges.
What is Autism?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the term used to refer to a broad range of developmental and behavioural issues.
Children with ASD will often have challenges in the following areas:
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Social skills and social interest.
This can include playing with others and understanding appropriate and inappropriate interactions. They may not show much interest in interacting with parents or their family, preferring to focus on toys or a particular game. Some children will become quite upset at any perceived intrusion or interruption.
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Verbal and non-verbal communication.
They may have trouble developing language or understanding and using non-verbal skills such as eye contact, facial expressions and pointing.
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Restricted or repetitive behaviour and interests.
They may focus on specific aspects of their toys, such as only playing with the wheels or lining toys up in a specific order. Parents may find it difficult to introduce anything new or to interest them in age-appropriate games and toys. The child may have odd movements, such as hand-flapping or toe-walking, to express excitement.
Assessments
To begin any assessment, a member of our clinical team will meet with the parents to discuss the child’s history and the parents’ concerns.
The purpose of the first appointment is to obtain information about your concerns for your child and to determine what key questions you would like to have covered by the assessment.
The booking process is the same regardless of the type of assessment, so you do not need to be specific when booking your appointments.
Which one is right for me?
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Diagnostic Assessment
Diagnostic assessment is a psychological evaluation aimed at determining whether or not your child meets the diagnostic criteria for a developmental disorder, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, etc. One of our clinicians will use various standardized tests for cognitive skills and adaptive functioning as well as looking for specific symptomology.
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Psychological Assessment
Psychological assessment is a broadly based psychological evaluation. The clinical team will look at a broader range of developmental disorders and psychological criteria in order to determine what, if any, issues a child has. A variety of standardized tests will be used.
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Psychoeducational Assessment
Psychoeducational assessment combines the psychological and diagnostic assessment with a particular focus on issues which can affect an academic environment, such as learning disorders or sensory issues. On diagnosis, the clinician will be able to provide a letter which can be used as part of an Individual Education Plan with the school board.