Autism in Complex Presentations
A Guide to Assessment and Diagnosis
Autism does not always present in clear or typical ways, especially when accompanied by other neurodevelopmental or medical conditions. Autism in Complex Presentations brings together an international team of clinicians and researchers to provide a practical, evidence-based guide to the assessment and recognition of autism in such contexts. Building on the insights and frameworks presented in the book, this interactive online course has been developed to help professionals deepen their understanding and apply these concepts in practice. The course features video contributions from the authors, reflective activities designed to encourage critical thinking about real-world assessment challenges, as well as multiple-choice questions to consolidate learning and test understanding.
Through this engaging format, learners can explore the same key topics covered in the book — including demand avoidance, selective mutism, ADHD, epilepsy, and vision impairment — while actively applying principles to complex clinical scenarios. Each module integrates case-based reflections and lived experience insights from young people and families, helping bridge theory and practice in an accessible, learner-driven way.
This learning approach ensures that professionals not only gain up-to-date, evidence-based knowledge, but also develop the confidence and practical skills needed to recognize and assess autism in its most nuanced forms.
Edited by
Professor Christopher Gillberg
Senior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Glasgow, UK, and Kochi, Japan; Senior Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
Dr Elaine Clark
Consultant Paediatrician, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Abigail Mance
Speech and Language Therapist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Mac Keith User Guide
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Each section of the modules in this course contains content such as videos, information to read, activities, links to additional resources and more. As you progress through the course, these sections will be automatically ticked off to help you remember where you are up to. You can resume the course at a later time without losing your place. The main front page of the course also includes tabs to access this User Guide, your Notes, and your Learning Account where you can access all your e-learning courses and books and your Notes.
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Each chapter includes quizzes of two kinds: reflective activities, and multiple choice questions. You can click the "Hint" button for advice on where to inform your answers. After entering your responses click "Finish Quiz". Click the button labelled "View Questions" to view your responses and the Model answer given for each question. The text hyperlink "Click here to view your saved responses to questions" will allow you to view your saved responses in your user learning profile. "Click here to proceed to the next page" will take you forward.
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Acknowledgements and copyright information
This version of Autism in Complex Presentations is published by Mac Keith Press and all enquiries should be sent to [email protected].© 2025 Mac Keith Press
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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the publisher.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, copying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Mac Keith Press.
Author appointments
Anne Addison Occupational Therapist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond
Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Penny Andreou Principal Clinical Psychologist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Kim Bates Speech and Language Therapist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Miriam Bindman Principal Clinical Psychologist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Elaine Clark Consultant Paediatrician, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Kate Cooper Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor, and NIHR Advanced Fellow, Research Department of Clinical, Educational, & Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK; Clinical Psychologist and Honorary Reader, Centre for Applied Autism Research, Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
Pam Czerniewska Lead Clinician, Team for the Assessment of Autism and Social Communication (TAASC), Senior Speech & Language Therapist, Barnet Community Paediatric Services (Edgware), RoyalFree London NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Naomi Dale Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Professor in Paediatric Neurodisability, Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
Claire Davidson Research Associate, Speech and Language Therapist, Centre for Developmental Adversity and Resilience, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Gl ria Dur -Vil Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Neurodevelopmental Service and Kings College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
Elisabeth Fernell Neuropaediatrician, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
Hannah George Consultant Psychologist and Clinical Lead, National Deaf CAMHS (North), Manchester, Newcastle, and York, UK
Christopher Gillberg Senior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Glasgow, UK, and Kochi, Japan; Senior Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
Gillian Greville-Harris Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Birmingham, Centre for Applied Psychology, Birmingham, UK
Laura Hull Elizabeth Blackwell Institute Early Career Fellow, Centre for Academic Mental Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Meng-Chuan Lai Staff Psychiatrist and Senior Scientist, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Holan Liang Senior Clinical Research Associate and Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, The University of Cambridge and Northeast London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
Stephanie Love UAE Dubai Health Authority licensed Speech and Language Therapist, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Katrina Macleod Speech and Language Therapist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Abigail Mance Speech and Language Therapist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Will Mandy Professor of Neurodevelopmental Conditions, Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
Helen Minnis Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychiatry, Centre for Developmental Adversity and Resilience, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Jeremy Oliver Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Paediatrics, St George s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Honorary Associate Professor at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
Maj-Britt Posserud Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Hanna Richardson Consultant in Paediatric Neurodisability, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Steve Rose Speech Therapist and Deafblind Consultant, Independent Practice. Brighton, UK; Speech Pathologist, Vision Australia/ Able Australia, Melbourne, Australia
Alison Salt Associate Professor, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK; Consultant Paediatrician, Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation, Perth Children s Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Georgina Salzke-Spurr Occupational Therapist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Jenefer Sargent Consultant Paediatrician, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Francesca Sawer Clinical Psychologist, Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Lucy Sawyer Principal Clinical Psychologist, Psychological and Mental Health Services, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Kathryn Stevenson Salomons Institute of Applied Psychology, Royal Tunbridge Wells, UK
Inyang Takon Consultant Paediatrician, East and North Herts NHS Trust, Stevenage, UK
Fiona Turner Health Psychologist and Lecturer, Centre for Developmental Adversity and Resilience, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
Anna I R van der Miesen Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location Vrije Universiteit, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Simon Wilkinson Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Psychological and Mental Health Services, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust UK, London, UK
Emma Willmott Senior Clinical Psychologist, ARFID Service, Maudsley Centre for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders (MCCAED), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Complex Feeding Clinic, Paediatric Neurosciences, Evelina London Children s Hospital, Guy s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
