Our Motivation
Dr. Leclercq and Dr. Boulard conduct comprehensive autism assessments through Child Connect Limited.
Dr. Cedric Leclercq is a specialist in child and adolescent psychiatry and general psychiatry. His training includes general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and family therapy. He has been a member of the European Family Therapy Association (EFTA) since 2002.
Dr. Aurore Boulard is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with 15 years of experience. She has worked in various university units and private departments, including the University of Liège, where she conducted research on child and adolescent psychology, ASD, ADHD, and depression.
Dr. Boulard has also worked at the University of Paris Descartes, focusing on early signs of autism. She is trained in the Incredible Years® Parenting Programs.
They are both ADOS trained.
Over the years, Dr. Cédric Leclercq and Dr. Aurore Boulard have become highly specialized in not only assessing and treating children with autism but also in supporting their families throughout their journey. Their comprehensive approach ensures that the entire family is involved and supported, recognizing that autism affects not just the individual but their loved ones as well.
Dr. Leclercq and Dr. Boulard provide ongoing follow-up care that addresses the evolving needs of both the child and the family. They offer guidance, resources, and therapeutic interventions tailored to help families navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes that come with raising a child with autism. Their dedication to family-centered care helps create a supportive environment where everyone can thrive.
ASD Assessment
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by deficits in reciprocal social communication and the presence of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.
Children or adults with autism are all different but some signs could be highlighted as for example:
¤ Finding it difficult talking to and being with other people
¤ Having unusual or intense interests
¤ Finding some situations and experiences difficult to cope with
¤ Sometimes finding noise, touch, taste and texture, lights or smells difficult to deal with
¤ Strongly preferring your usual routine
¤ Developing more easily in some areas than others.
¤ Finding it difficult to understand others’ emotions and feelings.
¤ Lacking eye contact and body language deficit
¤Lacking facial expressions (it does not mean that emotions are not present)
¤ Difficulties to understand body gestures or non-verbal communication
¤ Finding difficult to share imaginative play
Having an assessment means you can talk about these things and find out possible reasons for them.
The assessment is divided in three parts:
Adi-R
(Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised) is used to diagnose Autism, plan treatment and distinguish Autism from other developmental disorders.
It is a comprehensive semi-structured interview conducted with parents or caretakers who have knowledge about the individual’s current behaviour and developmental history.
During this 3-hour interview (usually on Zoom), Dr Boulard will ask you questions about your child’s developmental history.
Interview questions cover eight content areas:
¤ The child's background, including family, education, previous diagnoses and medications
¤ Overview of the child's behaviour
¤ Early development and developmental milestones
¤ Language acquisition and loss of language or other skills
¤ Current functioning in regard to language and communication
¤ Social development and play
¤ Interests and behaviours
¤Clinically relevant behaviours, such as aggression, self-injury and possible epileptic features,…
ADOS
The is viewed as "the gold standard" for observational assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It can be used to evaluate almost anyone suspected of having ASD from one-year-olds with no speech, to adults who are verbally fluent.
During the assessment Dr Boulard will play some games with younger children or carry out activities including questions about school, friendships and feelings with older children or young people. By watching the way your child communicates, interacts, plays and behaves during the games and activities it helps us to understand if there are signs of autism.
Sensory Profile
Processing everyday sensory information can be difficult for autistic people. Any of their senses may be over- or under-sensitive, or both, at different times. These sensory differences can affect how they feel and act, and can have a profound effect on a person's life (National autistic sociey)
It is the reason why we have chosen to include the SensoryProfile Test in our assessment. In order to provide help/tools for the child and their family in different contexts (home, school and activities).
The Sensory Profile™ 2 family of assessments provides standardised tools to help evaluate a child's sensory processing patterns in the context of home, school, and community-based activities.
Appointment
During Dr LeClercq’s appointment, he will assess whether there are medical causes or associations with the child’s behavioural presentation.
Only if clinically indicated, laboratory testing or further investigations may include:
Electroencephalogram (EEG) (e.g., for seizures)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (e.g., for microcephaly, seizures, abnormal neurological exam)
Metabolic testing (e.g., for cyclic vomiting, lethargy with minor illness, developmental regression, and seizures)
Chromosomal microarray genetic testing should be offered for any children with a developmental disability, dysmorphic features, or congenital anomaly (
Blood lead levels, when the child exhibits developmental delay or pica, or lives in a high-risk environment
Treatment & Follow-up with Dr LeClercq
Post assessment (60-90 minutes)
Following the assessment should you ask Dr LeClercq for a treatment to be implemented, he would offer post assessment appointment.
It is dedicated to providing you with an extensive feedback about the assessment. We shall take time to list what it involves and to understand it in a practical perspective. This means taking into consideration any treatment aspect. Dr LeClercq's priority is to make sure any information related to diagnosis and treatment is very clear for each of you. I feel crucial for the care plan to be tailored to my patient’s needs and resources, and to be realistic as well.
If for instance ADHD medicines need to be involved then Dr LeClercq will manage these himself, jointly with the referring GP or paediatrician.
On the subject of ADHD medication: Dr LeClercq's opinion is that making a decision on them needs rigorous method and specific pathway to be processed. This time is also used to let his patients learn about what medication is as well as about ADHD and its global impact on daily life. This is all to say how essential is to me the self-knowledge a patient will be developing throughout the assessment and possible treatment process. This is an investment on future achievements and happiness.
Follow up appointment (30-45-60 minutes)
Follow up appointment can be offered. Their frequency will be decided by me according to my patient's needs.
Follow-up appointments with Dr Boulard
After your assessment, should you need for a few sessions of therapy or for parental counselling,
Dr Boulard would offer follow-up appointments.
The aim of the sessions is to support your child/adolescent to understand themselves and find coping strategies if needed.
The aim of the parental sessions is to help parents to find specific strategies and skills related to ADHD.
She was trained in Montreal, Canada in the Incredible Years® Parenting Programs, which enabled her to work therapeutically with parents. The parent programs focussed on strengthening parent-child interactions and attachment and parents’ ability to promote children’s social and emotional development.
More info & fees
Don't hesitate to email us if you have any questions or if you would like to receive our fees.
[email protected]