Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a life-long neurodevelopmental disability which begins before the age of 3 years, with the following signs:
- Impairments in reciprocal social interactions, for example no back-and-forth sharing of smiles or other facial expressions
- Impairments in verbal and non-verbal communication skills, such as delayed language and inability to understand body language or tone of voice
- Repetitive behaviour, interests and activities that are excessive in amount, for instance, body rocking, crossing and uncrossing of legs and marching in place
Intellectual Disability (ID) occurs before the age of 18 years with the following signs:
- Intelligence quotient (IQ) score below 70 (the average IQ score is 100)
- Significant difficulty with daily living skills including self-care, communication and social skills
A person may have mild, moderate or severe ID. Factors such as personality, coping strategies and presence of other disabilities (motor, social or sensory) influence a person’s requirements for support with daily living. A large
proportion of people with ID or ASD have a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. Common co-occurring conditions include depression, anxiety disorders and psychotic disorders.
Assessment – A psychiatrist and multidisciplinary team will provide a comprehensive assessment at the patient’s first appointment. This includes direct interviews and observations with family members and/or caregivers who know the patient well. Supporting documents (such as progress reports, behavioural charts, IQ reports) can be brought along if available, to promote better understanding of the patient.
Treatment – If treatment is required after the assessment, the diagnosis and treatment care plan will be shared with the patient, family members and caregivers. Interventions will be offered according to the patient’s needs identified during the assessment and review phases.
ANDS Outpatient Clinics – Patients may seek consultation at the Community Wellness Centre at Queenstown and IMH Specialist Outpatient Clinic B.
ANDS Inpatient Services – Patients may receive inpatient treatment at IMH’s general wards in consultancy with the ANDS team.
A patient may be referred to ANDS from IMH’s outpatient clinics and inpatient wards. If the person is not a current IMH patient, a referral from a polyclinic or a restructured hospital is required. You will be contacted once our ANDS team receives your referral.
We adopt a multidisciplinary team approach to identify the various causes of a patient’s behaviour, provide clinical care to patients, and support to caregivers via our inpatient and outpatient services.
The ANDS multidisciplinary team also provides:
- Clinical consultancy services for community partners
- Community engagement and advocacy for patients
- Community partnerships, research and training programmes.
