In order to receive autism funding in British Columbia, an autism assessment must comprise of a pediatrician’s report, a speech language assessment, and psychological assessment consisting of cognitive testing and autism testing. Dr. Ho can complete the psychological portion of the assessment and she is also excited to team up with her wonderful colleague, Sarah McGowan, who is a registered Speech Language Pathologist, to complete comprehensive assessments for families seeking a timely diagnosis.

What to expect in an autism assessment (age 5 or younger) with Dr. Ho and Sarah McGowan:

• One virtual intake: For most autism assessments, Dr. Ho will complete the parent interview portions (i.e., clinical interview and ADI-R) virtually on a separate day as it can be hard to find childcare and many prefer to complete this in the comfort of their own home.
• Single day in-person assessment: A speech and language assessment, cognitive testing, autism testing and feedback will all be completed during one in-person appointment. A clinical day is typically scheduled for 6 hours and on weekends to make it easier for families to come.
• Timely diagnoses and feedback: Research shows that children who obtain an early diagnosis and early intervention obtain optimal outcomes. With majority of these assessments, we will provide families with the diagnostic outcome on the same day as in-person testing. In exceptional cases (i.e., requirement for additional testing or information from other sources), feedback is completed as soon as possible in order to not delay access to intervention.
• Comprehensive and easy-to-read report: We will write a combined, comprehensive and meaningful report  that parents can use  to access appropriate school services and other interventions.

About Sarah McGowan:

Sarah McGowan, BA, MA, M.Sc, RSLP.

Sarah is a registered Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) with a background in Linguistics and Forensic Linguistics, and over 10 years’ experience as an SLP providing assessments and therapy for neurodivergent children and their families.  Sarah provides a neurodiverse-affirming and strengths-based approach, creating a safe and comfortable environment where the children she works with can be their true, authentic selves.  She works closely with parents and caregivers, understanding that they are the experts on their children and the most important people in a child’s life when it comes to supporting their communication development.  Sarah strives to make diagnostic assessments a positive experience for families, ensuring that they have a solid understanding of a new diagnosis in the context of their child’s unique profile of strengths and support needs.  She hopes to help families feel positive and empowered as they and their child start the next chapter of their lives together.   

Sarah works full time at Sunny Hill Health Centre at BC Children’s Hospital as a part of the multidisciplinary, diagnostic teams for the BC Autism Assessment Network and Complex Developmental Behavioural Conditions. She is registered with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC and with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in the UK.