A big step has been taken to end the inconsistency around diagnosing autism in Australia.
The draft report for Australia's first national guidelines for diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were released on Thursday after a 12 month consultation process between Autism CRC and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NIDA).
Professor Andrew Whitehouse, Chief Research Officer at Autism CRC says at the moment there is inconsistency between states as to how a child or adult is assessed for having autism.
"The chances and likelihood of a diagnosis differ based on where you are in Australia and also how proactive your parents are, that's not a fantastic place to be at all," Professor Whitehouse told AAP.
This leads to "enormous" confusion for families and the community, he said.
With no established biological marker for autism, diagnosing the developmental disorder is not straightforward; it is based on clinical judgment of behavioural symptoms that vary greatly from one person to another.
Further complicating the diagnosis, is the varying diagnostic practices across and within Australian states and territories.
Prof Whitehouse says the guidelines represent a "major reform" that will improve outcomes for the families impacted by autism.
"What we are creating for the first time is consistency across Australia," said Professor Whitehouse.
"That is critical for helping kids and adults on the spectrum reach their full potential," he said.
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