The Neurodiversity Service

Help & Resources

Plain-English guides, glossary of terms, and helpful external resources. Written by our clinical team.

Guides

Plain-English guides to neurodiversity assessments and support — written by our clinical team.

Useful Links

Helpful external organisations and official guidance.

Glossary of Terms

Understanding the language used in autism assessments and reports.

ADOS-2

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – a standardised assessment where a clinician observes social communication through structured activities.

ADI-R

Autism Diagnostic Interview – a detailed interview with parents/carers about developmental history and current behaviours.

NICE Guidelines

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines – the official UK standards for how autism assessments should be conducted.

Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT)

A team of different specialists working together on your assessment, as recommended by NICE guidelines.

Masking

When an autistic person consciously or unconsciously hides their autistic traits to fit in socially. Common in adults and particularly women.

Stimming

Self-stimulatory behaviour like hand-flapping, rocking, or fidgeting that helps autistic people regulate their sensory experience.

Sensory Processing

How the brain receives and interprets information from the senses. Many autistic people experience sensory differences.

Executive Function

Mental skills including planning, organisation, time management, and flexible thinking that some autistic people find challenging.