Ever wondered if you, or someone you love, could have autism?
Well, there’s a 10-question quiz that could actually help answer that question.
The tool — used by NHS doctors and backed by Cambridge University academics — does not confirm whether you are on the spectrum.
Instead it is used as a gold-standard screening tool.
Clinicians who suspect patients to be autistic based on their answers to the test are typically passed on for specialist assessments.
Questions revolve around someone’s ability to focus on tasks and understand other people’s intentions and emotions.
If you score six or more, your GP might consider referring you for further tests. This does not mean you definitely have autism, however.
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, which links to the tool in its autism advice page, says the tool — called AQ-10 — is a ‘good place to start’ if you are looking for a test to see if you may be autistic.
The trust says the test gives a ‘general indication of whether someone might have autism’.
It says: ‘If you suspect that you may be autistic you can then make an appointment to see a GP.
‘Offer them the results from the AQ-10, if you have done it, (if you have not done the AQ-10 then the GP should go through the questions with you), and ask them to refer you to a diagnostic pathway.’
The first question asks if you ‘notice small sounds when others do not’. Anyone who selects ‘definitely’ or ‘slightly agree’ scores one point.
That’s because autistic people often experience sound sensitivity, such as noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not, according to the NHS.
Quiz takers are also asked about their ability to concentrate.
It asks if you can concentrate in the ‘whole picture’ or just ‘small details’, and if you can do more than one thing at once and switch back to what you were doing if you were interrupted.
If you respond ‘definitely’ or slightly disagree’ on these questions you score a point.
Many autistic people struggle to understand what others are thinking or feeling. To determine if you have this characteristic, the quiz asks if you can ‘read between the lines’ when someone is speaking to you.
Participants are also asked of they know when someone listening to them is getting board or if they ‘understand characters’ intentions’ when reading.
A keen interest in a particular subject or activity is also associated with autism, the NHS says.
The quiz asks if you like to ‘collect information about categories of things’ and gives examples of types of birds, trains, cars or plants. Those that ‘definitely’ or ‘slightly agree’ with this statement score a point.
The final questions in the quiz asks if you can tell what someone is thinking just by looking at their facial expressions and if you can ‘work out’ people’s intentions.
It is estimated that around 700,000 people, including adults and children, in the UK have an autism diagnosis.
However, there are many adults still unaware they are on the spectrum.
It’s thought this is especially the case with women, with some experts believing that thousands of women, many middle-aged or older, are battling through life with undiagnosed autism.
TV stars Melanie Sykes, Chris Packham and Christine McGuinness have all recently shared their own autism diagnoses as adults, helping to raise awareness of the disorder.
If you think you or your child have signs of autism, the NHS advises you talk with your GP, a health visitor if your child is under the age of five, or another doctor or therapist. A professional will be able to refer you to an autism specialist for an assessment.
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.
