The health body calls for better joint working between healthcare professionals and more engagement with schools and the social care and voluntary sectors in its latest draft guidance, Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recognition, Referral and Diagnosis in Children and Young People.
While autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects at least one in every 100 children under the age of three, correct diagnosis can be difficult due to the range of possible signs and symptoms, and other conditions with similar features. Analysis has also shown that levels of understanding of ASD among healthcare professionals vary greatly across the UK.
Among its proposals, Nice recommends that:
Dr Fergus Macbeth, director of the Centre for Clinical Practice at Nice, said: "A correct diagnosis of autism can bring a profound sense of relief to some children and young people from what can be an intense feeling of isolation from the rest of the world.
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