Autism Support: who to see and what helps

Autism Support · Kitchener, Waterloo & Cambridge

Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition: a different way of communicating, sensing the world and focusing, not an illness to be cured. Useful support works on what a person or family finds hard, such as anxiety, daily routines, communication, eating or sleep. CARESPACE’s services offer that support alongside your physician or specialist team, and they are not a diagnostic assessment. A counsellor is the usual first visit for an autistic adult; for a child, an Occupational Therapist is a good place to start.

What autism is

Autistic people may communicate and connect with others differently, process sights, sounds and textures differently, and focus intensely on particular interests. Autism is something you are born with. Some autistic people have a learning disability, and some have average or above-average intelligence. This page says “autistic people”; the federal health agency’s advice is to use whichever words the autistic people in your life ask you to use.

Much of the support people look for is about what comes with autism. Anxiety, depression, eating disorders and ADHD are all more common in autistic people. Among autistic children, the Canadian Paediatric Society reports that up to one-half also have an anxiety disorder or phobia and that 50% to 80% have sleep problems.

Signs of autism

Among the signs in adults:

• Finding it hard to talk to other people, or to read facial expressions, gestures or tone of voice
• Taking things literally
• Fixed ways of doing things, and distress when a routine changes
• Repetitive movements (stimming), such as rocking or flapping the hands
• Being very focused on specialist interests
• Being very sensitive, or not sensitive at all, to light, sounds, smells, tastes or textures

Autistic women may copy how other people behave, appear to cope well in social situations and hide their feelings; men can mask too.

In babies and toddlers the signs include little or no babbling or eye contact, more interest in objects than in people, seeming not to hear when spoken to, limited interest in other children, and wanting things a certain way, such as always eating the same food. A child who starts to develop language and then stops, or loses those skills, should be seen by a physician or nurse practitioner.

What causes autism

The cause is not known, though genetics and environment likely play a part, and autism can run in families. It is not contagious, and it is not caused by vaccination or by parenting style.

How autism is diagnosed, and where

There is no simple medical test. A clinician or team looks at communication, relationships, development and behaviour against the criteria in the DSM-5, and no questionnaire or assessment tool can make the diagnosis on its own. In most provinces only physicians and psychologists are licensed to diagnose autism; in some places trained nurse practitioners can as well.

CARESPACE’s services are support, not a diagnostic assessment. For a child, start with your family physician or paediatrician. KidsAbility, which has sites in Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge, is one of the diagnostic hubs designated under the Ontario Autism Program. It assesses children and youth under 18 who live in Waterloo Region, and a referral to its hub must be made by a doctor. Adults can ask a physician or nurse practitioner about a referral to a specialist.

Waits can be long: the Canadian Paediatric Society notes that team assessments commonly take more than a year in many Canadian communities. Its advice is that behavioural programs for children with or at risk for autism begin as early as possible, ideally even before a diagnosis is confirmed. CARESPACE does not provide those programs.

When to get help urgently

Autism is not an emergency, but distress can be: Scotland’s guideline cites studies in which 30% to 84% of autistic adults might have some form of diagnosable mental illness. If you or someone in your family is thinking about suicide, or is not safe, do not wait for an appointment: use the numbers below.

If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, help is available right now.

• Call or text 9-8-8, the Suicide Crisis Helpline, at any hour.
• Call Here 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247 for addictions, mental health and crisis services in Waterloo Region, at any hour. here247.ca
• Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

The emergency departments in Waterloo Region are:

• WRHN @ Midtown (formerly Grand River Hospital), 835 King St. W., Kitchener
• WRHN @ Queen’s Blvd. (formerly St. Mary’s General Hospital), 911 Queen’s Blvd., Kitchener
• Cambridge Memorial Hospital, 700 Coronation Blvd., Cambridge

If you cannot get there safely, call 911.

What the evidence says about autism support

• Where this comes from. Two Canadian Paediatric Society statements (2019) and the UK’s NICE guideline, all about children and young people; for adults, Scotland’s SIGN guideline (2016), whose publisher warns that some recommendations may be out of date. In these documents “consider” is weaker than “offer”, and “do not use” means what it says.
• No medicine or diet treats autism itself. Health Canada has not approved any medication for the treatment of autism. The UK guideline’s instruction for children is “do not use” for antipsychotics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and exclusion diets (such as gluten-free or casein-free diets) as ways to manage the core features of autism, and for secretin, chelation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy in any context.
• For young children, behavioural and developmental programs. The Canadian Paediatric Society calls these the main evidence-based treatment for autistic children, and adds that it is still not known which approach is most likely to work for an individual child.
• Adapted CBT. For anxiety in autistic children able to take part, the advice is to consider cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), adapted with more written and visual material, a more concrete and structured approach, regular breaks, a parent or carer involved and the child’s special interests built in. For adults the research is small and not about anxiety alone: one trial described in the Scottish guideline, aimed at obsessive-compulsive disorder, found twice as many responders to CBT but overall improvement similar to its anxiety management comparison group. An autism diagnosis should not prevent anyone from receiving these therapies.
• Occupational therapy: support yes, sensory integration unproven. Children and young people may benefit from occupational therapy, advice and support in adapting their surroundings, but there is insufficient high-quality evidence to support sensory integration therapy.
• Communication. Interventions that support understanding and expression, such as picture exchange systems and visual supports, should be considered. Facilitated communication should not be used.
• Eating. Restricted diets can result in nutritional deficiencies that may have serious consequences, and advice from a dietitian is recommended for a child with significant food selectivity.
• Sleep. A behavioural sleep plan comes first. Melatonin is something to consider only if problems persist despite the plan, and only after consultation with a specialist.

What a physician or the Ontario Autism Program may offer

A physician or nurse practitioner looks after diagnosis or referral, medical follow-up, and medication for conditions that come with autism, such as ADHD or severe anxiety. The Ontario Autism Program serves children up to age 18 who have a written diagnosis: core clinical services, caregiver-led programs for children aged 12 to 48 months, an entry-to-school program and urgent response services. Families register through AccessOAP. CARESPACE does not provide these, but it helps to know where they fit.

How each CARESPACE service supports autistic people and families

Counselling & Psychotherapy

For autistic adults, counselling is for the anxiety and low mood that often come with autism. CARESPACE counsellors offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and the guidelines say it should be adapted: more concrete and structured, with written and visual material. When you book, ask for a counsellor who has worked with autistic clients and, for a teenager, ask which counsellors see people under 18. Counselling is also for parents and partners: the guidelines say families’ own needs for personal, social and emotional support should be assessed, and parents of autistic children often face greater stress.

See our counselling team →

Occupational Therapy

An Occupational Therapist often works directly with a person in a program built for them. With autism that can mean daily living skills, fine motor skills and ways of managing sensory differences. Sensory integration therapy is one specific method, and it lacks high-quality evidence, so ask what approach is being proposed and what it is expected to change.

See our occupational therapy team →

Speech-Language Pathology

A Speech-Language Pathologist can work on verbal, non-verbal and social communication, can offer augmentative and alternative communication aids, and can teach family members and caregivers skills to use at home.

See our speech-language pathology team →

Nutrition & Dietitian

Some autistic children have very restricted diets. A Registered Dietitian can assess whether a narrow diet is meeting nutritional needs and suggest ways to widen it; the guidelines do not support gluten-free or casein-free diets as a treatment for autism. Blood tests for deficiencies, if needed, are ordered by a physician or nurse practitioner. Where eating is severely limited, see ARFID. You leave the first visit with a plan.

See our nutrition team →

Other services people ask about

Supplements and naturopathic remedies. The Canadian Paediatric Society says many diets and supplements, vitamins and omega-3 included, lack supporting evidence, and the UK guideline says not to use omega-3 for sleep problems in autistic children. Complementary therapies should not replace established ones. Acupuncture. The evidence is sparse, with no strong conclusions possible. Exercise. It may be beneficial for motor skills and social interaction, though larger trials are needed. If you try something, try one thing at a time and tell your physician.

Where most people start

For an autistic adult, start with a counsellor. For a child, start with the service that matches the difficulty: an Occupational Therapist for daily routines and sensory differences, a Speech-Language Pathologist for communication, a Registered Dietitian for eating. When you book, ask which practitioners see children.

How your team works together

Each service here works on one part of daily life, and your physician or paediatrician stays at the centre, along with the Ontario Autism Program team if your child has one. Managing autism takes coordinated care among medical, therapy and education providers.

Browse by service: counselling, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and nutrition.

What to expect at your first visit

1. When you book. Mention anything that would make the visit easier, such as a quieter time of day or having someone with you.
2. What you want help with. You may be asked what is hardest right now, what is going well, and what you have already tried.
3. Anything you choose to bring, such as an assessment report or a school plan.
4. A plan to leave with.

What helps at home

• Sleep. Good sleep habits and behavioural strategies come first, with screens off for an hour before bed.
• Food. Do not start an exclusion diet to treat autism. If a child’s diet is very narrow, have growth and nutrition checked.
• Strengths. Good support builds on a person’s strengths, abilities and interests.
• Carers. Planned or emergency respite care is one of the supports available to families.
• Money. Ask about the Disability Tax Credit and the Registered Disability Savings Plan.

Outlook

Autism is lifelong, and the amount of support a person needs changes. Extra support is often needed at points of change: adulthood, getting a job, living alone or with less help, and older age.

Autism support in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge

Kitchener. Counselling in Kitchener and Nutritionist & Dietitian in Kitchener. Locations: Victoria North, Fischer-Hallman, Westmount East and Deer Ridge.

Waterloo. Counselling in Waterloo and Nutritionist & Dietitian in Waterloo. Locations: Weber North, Uptown Waterloo and Waterloo GoodLife.

Cambridge. Counselling in Cambridge and Nutritionist & Dietitian in Cambridge. Location: Hespeler Road.

The city pages linked above show the locations and practitioners for each service, with their next availability.

Common questions

Can I get an autism assessment at CARESPACE?

No. CARESPACE’s services are support, not a diagnostic assessment. In most of Canada a diagnosis is made by a physician or psychologist, so start with your family physician. For children and youth under 18 in Waterloo Region, KidsAbility is a designated diagnostic hub, and a referral to it must be made by a doctor.

Is autism an illness, and can it be cured?

No. In the words of the NHS, it is not an illness and there is no treatment or cure, but there are ways of managing it and getting support.

Do gluten-free or casein-free diets help autism?

The evidence says no. Three randomized trials reviewed for the Scottish guideline reported no improvement on several measures, and the UK guideline says not to use exclusion diets to manage the core features of autism.

Does sensory integration therapy work?

It is unproven: there is insufficient high-quality evidence to support it. Occupational therapy more broadly may help with daily living skills and sensory differences.

Where can I get autism support in Cambridge?

CARESPACE offers Counselling in Cambridge and Nutritionist & Dietitian in Cambridge. Book online or call 519-208-2273 and our Central Reception Team will find the closest location with an opening.

Do I need a referral?

No. Book online or call 519-208-2273. You pay at each visit and receive a receipt for your extended health plan. More on fees and insurance →

Sources

• Ip A, Zwaigenbaum L, Brian JA; Canadian Paediatric Society. Post-diagnostic management and follow-up care for autism spectrum disorder. Paediatrics & Child Health, 2019.
• Brian JA, Zwaigenbaum L, Ip A; Canadian Paediatric Society. Standards of diagnostic assessment for autism spectrum disorder. Paediatrics & Child Health, 2019.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK). Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management (CG170). 2013, with amendments to 2021.
• Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Assessment, diagnosis and interventions for autism spectrum disorders (SIGN 145). 2016, revalidated 2019 (full guideline, PDF); the publisher notes that some recommendations may be out of date.
• Public Health Agency of Canada. Autism, with its pages on signs and characteristics and supports and services. Modified 2025 and 2026.
• NHS (UK). What is autism? and Signs of autism in adults. Reviewed May 2026.
• Government of Ontario. Ontario Autism Program. Updated April 2026.
• KidsAbility. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Diagnostic Hub (who is assessed and who can refer), Autism services and Contact us (sites).

Related conditions

ADHD
Anxiety
ARFID
Picky Eating
Misophonia

Ready to book?

Book online with a counsellor or an Occupational Therapist, or call 519-208-2273 and our Central Reception Team will match you with the right person and the closest location.

Online booking