Proudly offered by Piekenbrock Psychology
Okotoks Autism Services
At Okotoks Autism Services, Piekenbrock Psychology is proud to offer neuro-affirming assessments for adults, youth, children, and toddlers in a supportive and compassionate environment. We recognize and respect the diverse ways in which brains work, and our assessment process is grounded in empathy, inclusivity, and clinical excellence.
Whether exploring autism, ADHD, learning differences, or other neurodevelopmental profiles, our team works closely with individuals and families to provide meaningful insights and recommendations tailored to each person’s strengths and needs.
At Okotoks Autism Services, we are committed to honouring neurodiversity and empowering every client on their unique journey.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Accurate and compassionate diagnosis is essential for early intervention and support, and two gold-standard tools are commonly used in clinical assessments: the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2; Lord et al., 2012), and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R; Rutter, Le Couteur, & Lord, 2003).
The ADOS-2 is a structured, play-based assessment that allows clinicians to observe behaviours relevant to autism across age and developmental levels, while the ADI-R is a comprehensive, semi-structured interview conducted with caregivers to gather a detailed developmental history and symptom profile.
Research consistently supports the reliability and validity of these tools, with studies showing that using both in combination enhances diagnostic accuracy (Gotham et al., 2007; Zander, Sturm, & Bölte, 2015).
Additional assessments will be combined depending on the needs of the individual and their specific presentation. These assessments are available to toddlers, children, youth, and adults.
Assessments consist of up to a full day of participation from the client (and caregivers depending on the age and abilities of the client).
The client observation by clinician averages 1-2 hours, academic assessment 1-3 hours, intellectual assessment 1-3hours, caregiver interview 2-4hours, adaptive and behavioural questionnaires 1-2hours.
Approximate Timelines for Individual Portions of the Assessment Process
Bringing Support to You
Invisible Disabilities
Some disabilities, conditions or chronic illnesses are not immediately obvious to others. For some people, this can make it hard to understand and believe that someone, with a “non-visible” condition genuinely needs support. Some people question whether you have a disability because you don’t look ‘like you have a disability". That is why we created the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower - to encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding. It is a simple tool for you to share that you have a hidden disability voluntarily. Simply by wearing the Sunflower, you’re just letting everyone know that you might need extra help, understanding, or just more time.