Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are a group of conditions that can occur when an individual was exposed to alcohol before birth. FASD can present in many ways — physical, cognitive, behavioural, and emotional — and it is frequently missed or misunderstood, which means people go without the support and accommodations that fit how their brain works.
At Silm Centre for Mental Health, psychologists assess the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional challenges involved in FASD. To be straightforward about scope: psychologists alone cannot diagnose FASD — a full diagnosis is a multidisciplinary process — but a psychological assessment can help confirm a diagnosis and provides detailed information about a person’s challenges and the accommodations that will help.
What the assessment involves
The exact components depend on the person’s age and the questions being asked, but an FASD assessment at Silm Centre for Mental Health generally includes:
- Cognitive testing (e.g., WAIS or WISC)
- Achievement testing (e.g., WIAT)
- Memory and executive functioning testing (e.g., WRAML or WMS)
- Social-emotional measures, including a structured clinical interview and standardized omnibus and narrow-band measures
- A measure of adaptive functioning
- A thorough review of available records, and — with consent — collateral information from people who know the person well
What you receive
Documentation outlining the findings, the person’s challenges, and recommendations for accommodations and support — the information families, schools, and care teams need to respond to the person in front of them rather than to a label.
People seek FASD assessments for many reasons: to better understand a person’s challenges, to support a diagnosis, and to get documentation for the accommodations and supports that will help. We support assessments for all of these reasons.
The documentation from this assessment can also support disability applications — including the Disability Tax Credit, long-term disability, and ODSP.
Who does this assessment
Assessments at Silm Centre for Mental Health are conducted by our assessment team — psychologists working with psychometrists:
Psychologists
Psychometrists
Clinical Associate
Cost and first step
FASD assessments cost $5000. Costs can vary depending on type of documentation required. The first step is a free initial consultation, where we gather information about what you need and explain the assessment and its cost before you commit to anything.
Our services are offered by registered psychologists (often with the support from psychometrists), which means they are often covered by extended health benefits plans.
If you are wondering about more than one thing — for example, a learning disability and a mental health concern — we can often assess for both together. We will discuss the cost of the combined assessment with you at intake, or later, if we notice during the assessment that something requires further exploration. The cost is generally $500 to $1,000 more than the cost of a single assessment, depending on the scope of the additional assessment — not the cost of both assessments added together. We will never proceed without your consent.
How we approach every assessment
Every assessment at Silm Centre for Mental Health is person-centred and trauma-informed. Where records are available, we review them; with your consent, we also gather collateral information from people who know you well. And we are always screening beyond the original question: an assessment here does not simply answer yes or no — it looks for the best explanation for a person’s symptoms and patterns, which is sometimes a different explanation than the one expected. When that happens, we may ask your consent to broaden the scope of the assessment, so the answer you get is the right one.
Common questions
How long does the whole process take?
Once you reach out to us, we aim to have your intake completed within one to two weeks, and your first testing appointment scheduled two to three weeks after that. Testing is usually done in longer sessions, and we aim to complete it within one to three appointments. After testing, we aim to have your report ready within three to four weeks — so from first contact to final report, the process typically takes 8 to 12 weeks. Assessments can be completed virtually, in person at our North York or Oakville offices, or a combination of both; where possible, we prefer to meet in person for at least part of the assessment, because it gives us observational information that strengthens the report. We have no waitlist, and evening and weekend appointments are available.
Who is an FASD assessment for?
Children, adolescents, and adults where there is known or suspected prenatal alcohol exposure and unexplained cognitive, behavioural, or emotional difficulties.
If psychologists can’t diagnose FASD alone, is the assessment still useful?
Yes. The psychological assessment is a core part of the diagnostic picture, and it is the part that describes in detail how the person thinks, learns, and functions — which is what accommodations and supports are built on.
Book a free initial consultation: fill out our initial consultation form, or book an intake with one of our psychologists. You can also reach us at (416) 384-1111 · admin@silmmentalhealth.com