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1 Diagnosis and Assessment of A Disability

This document provides information about diagnosis and assessment services for intellectual disabilities in NSW, Australia. It explains that diagnosis and assessment is a process to determine the nature and cause of a disability and advise on needs and services. It outlines when diagnosis may be helpful, how to access services, what multidisciplinary teams do, and lists various diagnosis and assessment services around NSW with contact details.

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Pratisrutee Mishra
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98 views5 pages

1 Diagnosis and Assessment of A Disability

This document provides information about diagnosis and assessment services for intellectual disabilities in NSW, Australia. It explains that diagnosis and assessment is a process to determine the nature and cause of a disability and advise on needs and services. It outlines when diagnosis may be helpful, how to access services, what multidisciplinary teams do, and lists various diagnosis and assessment services around NSW with contact details.

Uploaded by

Pratisrutee Mishra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1

Diagnosis and assessment


of a disability

People with intellectual disability should be involved in all decisions about their health and wellbeing.

Some people can make decisions alone and some people will need support. It is critical that
supporters know the person’s will and preferences to make sure the right support is provided and
the right decision is made.

Diagnosis and assessment is the process of working out the nature and cause of a disability and providing
advice about the person’s needs and available services.

Diagnosis and assessment services in NSW Health also assist with complex health needs of some children
and young people.

When can diagnosis and assessment help?


Diagnosis and assessment usually occurs in early childhood, but can also be useful in adolescence or
adulthood. Diagnosis and assessment is particularly important for a person with complex or challenging
needs. By learning more about a condition or symptom a person has, we can better help them live their
healthiest and best life.

How to get diagnosis and assessment


If you suspect that a child has an intellectual disability, there are a number of services that can help.

Council for Intellectual Disability


NSW Health encourages parents to have their child undergo regular health checks, from birth to age 4,
done by a nurse or doctor. This is explained in My personal health record which is given to all parents of
newborns. These checks help to detect any delay in a child’s development or learning – two areas that may
suggest an intellectual disability.

Seeing your GP is a good first point of contact. They are likely to know what other services are available in
your area. Your GP can check to see if there are other conditions that are causing the person’s difficulties,
such as a hearing problem or a deficiency in nutrition. The GP can identify and treat general health
conditions. They can also refer your child to a paediatrician or child health service.

A paediatrician can say whether a significant problem is likely and link your child with intervention services.
The paediatrician may do some tests to try to find a cause for the disability.

School counsellors and psychologists can also do assessments to identify intellectual disability.

However, it is often best to go to a diagnosis and assessment service that is a multidisciplinary team.
These teams have a number of different kinds of health professionals working together.

About diagnosis and assessment services


Diagnostic and assessment services are usually multidisciplinary teams of health professionals with
expertise in intellectual disability such as paediatricians, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational
therapists, physiotherapists, nurses and social workers.

The main roles of diagnosis and assessment services are:


• Assessment of the extent and cause of the disability.
• Assessment of the person’s strengths, difficulties and potential.
• Recommendations for ways to help the person achieve their potential.
• Support to receive and work with other services, for example NDIS, early intervention.
• Health assessment and referral, for complex health needs.
• Information, counselling and support for families.
• Case reviews at key stages in the person’s life, for example starting or leaving school, when complex
health and medical needs are suspected, or when a sudden change occurs in the person’s health or
abilities.

How do I find a diagnosis and assessment service?


See the contact details below of NSW diagnosis and assessment services. These services are
multidisciplinary teams. They vary in who they see and what they can offer.

There may be other local services that provide some diagnosis and assessment.

Council for Intellectual Disability


Other intellectual disability health services for children
Apart from diagnosis and assessment services, there are various other specialised intellectual disability
health services in NSW for children and young people. See the Specialised intellectual disability health
services fact sheet.

For more information


My personal health record www.health.nsw.gov.au

You might be interested in these fact sheets


• Causes of intellectual disability and health care
• Children – what kinds of health services are there?
• Specialised intellectual disability health services

This fact sheet was updated in 2019.

The fact sheet contains general information only and does not take into account individual circumstances.
It should not be relied on for medical advice. We encourage you to look at the information in this fact sheet
carefully with your health professional to decide whether the information is right for you.

NSW Diagnosis and Assessment services

Name of D&A Service Area covered Phone (02) Age

Child and Family Health Gosford & Wyong area 4328 7900 0-12
Developmental Assessment
Team

Child Development Service Northern Sydney, 9462 9288 0-6


nslhd-cds@health.nsw.gov.au Hornsby, Northern
Beaches, Ryde, Pennant
Hills

Kogarah Developmental St George & Sutherland 8566 1222 All ages


Assessment Service area

Includes Illawarra Shoalhaven


Diagnostic Service (ISDAS)

Tumbatin Clinic, Randwick South and East Sydney 9382 8189 0-5
www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/ LHD and rural remote 9382 8191
find-a-service/health-medical- where no services
services/autism-spectrum- available
disorder/sch

Council for Intellectual Disability


Name of D&A Service Area covered Phone (02) Age

Disability Specialist Unit, Ashfield, Burwood, 9378 1100 0-16


Croydon Community Health Canada Bay, Canterbury,
Centre Leichhardt, Marrickville
Intake@health.nsw.gov.au & Strathfield Council
areas

Child Assessment Team, Campbelltown, Camden, 4634 3553 0-12


Macarthur (now part of Wollondilly area
Liverpool LHD)
Central Intake:
www.swslhd.health.nsw.gov.au

Rainbow Cottage (Liverpool Liverpool and 9616 4405 0-18


Hospital) surrounding areas

Developmental Assessment Penrith, Hawkesbury, 4734 3166 2-16


Clinic, Nepean Hospital Blue Mountains

Parramatta Early Childhood Auburn, Baulkham Hills, 9891 7200 0-6


Assessment Team (PECAT), Castle Hill, Holroyd,
Parramatta Parramatta, Blacktown,
www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/ Penrith, Hawkesbury
find-a-service/health-medical- & Blue Mountains areas
services/developmental-delay-
and-intellectual-disability/chw

Blue Mountains Child & Blue Mountains, Penrith, 4784 6671 0-18
Adolescent Development Unit Lithgow
www.nbmlhd.health.nsw.gov.
au

Council for Intellectual Disability


Name of D&A Service Area covered Phone (02) Age

Auburn Child Development Auburn, Berala, Chester 8759 3225 0-5+


Assessment Team Hill, Regents Park,
(Children’s ward) Lidcombe

Child, Infant and Family Goulburn, Queanbeyan, 4827 3950 0-18


Tertiary Service (CIFTS), Cooma, Yass, Southern
Goulburn NSW LHD

Bathurst Child Development Bathurst, Mudgee, 6330 5363 0-18


Clinic Cowra

Child and Family Health Team, Newcastle, Hunter, Lake 4924 6400 2-12
Wallsend Macquarie
www.hnekidshealth.nsw.gov. 4924 6190
au

Royal Far West, Centre for Rural and remote, must 8966 8500 0-12
Country Kids, Manly be 100km outside of
www.royalfarwest.org.au Sydney

Child Development Unit, Statewide 9845 2395 0-16


Westmead
www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/
find-a-service/health-medical-
services/developmental-delay-
and-intellectual-disability/chw

NSW Centre for Effective Dubbo, Manly, Wagga 9687 0377 5-12
Reading Wagga, Westmead
www.cer.education.nsw.gov.au

Illawarra Child Development Wollongong, Illawarra 4224 2900 2-12


Centre Area

Council for Intellectual Disability

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