Autism Diagnosis in Ottawa

In Ottawa, autism diagnosis costs range from free (OHIP-covered at CHEO) to $2,500-$4,000 for private assessments. CHEO provides free assessments with 18-24 month wait times. Private assessments cost $2,500-$4,000 for children and $3,000-$5,000 for adults, with wait times of 4-8 weeks.

The wait time for autism diagnosis at CHEO is currently 18-24 months from when your referral is received. CHEO is the primary OHIP-covered assessment provider for children in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. CHEO offers bilingual (English/French) services and uses gold-standard assessment tools including ADOS-2.

No, CHEO primarily serves children and youth up to age 18. Adults seeking autism diagnosis in Ottawa have fewer options. Some hospitals may offer adult assessment with 24+ month waits, or private assessment costing $3,000-$5,000 with 4-12 week waits. Adults don't qualify for OAP funding but diagnosis can unlock workplace accommodations and DTC eligibility.

Yes, CHEO provides fully bilingual (English/French) autism assessment services as part of its mandate to serve both linguistic communities. Some private psychologists in Ottawa also offer bilingual assessment services, confirm when booking. Bilingual assessment ensures accurate evaluation in your preferred language.

Choose CHEO if you cannot afford private costs, your child is over 6, you need bilingual services, and you can wait 18-24 months.

Consider private if your child is 2-6 (early intervention critical), you can afford $2,500-$4,000, you want OAP funding 15+ months sooner, or need urgent diagnosis for school accommodations.