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What to say to your doctor about autism concerns in Quebec

6 min · Evidence: strong · Updated September 3, 2026 · next review in 6 months

Parents whose concerns get a reassuring 'let's wait and see' get diagnoses later than parents whose doctor acts. Bring a dated list of what you noticed and, if your child is 18 months or older, an M-CHAT-R/F score, and say the sentence 'I'd like a referral documented today.' In Quebec, the CLSC and Agir tôt can start without a diagnosis.

You have the appointment, or you are about to book it. What you are afraid of is not the answer. It is being told, kindly, that it is probably nothing, and walking out with nothing. This page gives you the words, the paper to bring, and the Quebec doors that open without waiting for anyone's permission.

Why "wait and see" costs so much

Most doctors who say "let's give it a few months" mean well. Toddlers do vary, and reassurance is a kind thing to offer. But it is also the single most common reason autistic children are diagnosed late.

A study of more than 1,400 children with autism found that their parents were less likely than parents of children with other developmental conditions to get a proactive response to their first concern, and more likely to get a reassuring or passive one. Children whose provider acted on the concern were diagnosed sooner; children whose provider reassured had longer delays. strong

In Canada the median age of autism diagnosis is 3.7 years, while reliable signs are present by 18 to 24 months. official Much of that gap is made of well-meaning "let's see how they do at the next visit".

Parental concern is not anxiety to be soothed. Screening research consistently treats it as a signal in its own right, which is why the M-CHAT-R/F is a parent questionnaire and why its authors say every child with an at-risk score should be referred. strong You do not have to prove anything. You have to say it clearly, and ask for it to be written down.

The script

Say it in your own words, but keep the three parts: what you saw, what you have done, what you want.

What I noticed. "Since about [age], I've noticed that [child's name] [does not point to show me things / does not turn when I say their name / has stopped using words they had / plays alone and lines things up]. I've written it down with dates."

What I've done. "I filled in the M-CHAT-R/F at home. The score was [number]." (If under 18 months, or not done: skip this line.)

What I'd like. "I'd like a referral for a developmental assessment and a hearing test, and I'd like my concern and this request documented in the file today."

If the answer is "wait and see". "I understand it may turn out to be nothing. I'd still like the referral documented today, so the clock starts now. If it resolves, we can cancel."

Print it. Put it on the counter. Reading from a page is not rude; it is how people ask for things when they are frightened.

What to bring

  • A dated list, two lines per item, of the things you have noticed. Include what your child does do as well; a clinician wants the whole picture.
  • Two or three short videos from your phone, older and recent, especially of play and of you calling their name.
  • The M-CHAT-R/F, filled in, with the score on the front, if your child is 18 months or older. See M-CHAT-R/F explained.
  • Any note from daycare (CPE) about how your child plays, transitions, or responds to the group. A one-paragraph email from the educator is enough.
  • Family history, briefly. Autism and ADHD run strongly in families, and clinicians ask. See Is that me?.
  • Your questions, written down, because you will forget them in the room.

How the Quebec route starts

There are two doors, and you can walk through both on the same day.

Door one: your family doctor or pediatrician. They can refer to the specialized public assessment. In Quebec, physicians and psychologists can conclude an autism diagnosis, often working with a multidisciplinary team. official Autisme Montréal reports public evaluation waits on the island of roughly 6 to 24 months; the figure changes, so confirm on their page. official

Door two: your CLSC and Agir tôt. Quebec's Agir tôt program takes children under 7 on a voluntary basis, free of charge, and does not require a diagnosis. Its own page says: if you have concerns about your child's development, contact your CLSC. A caseworker discusses your concerns, a needs assessment follows, and screening uses questionnaires on a digital platform plus a consultation. If difficulties are identified, early intervention services can begin. official If you do not know your CLSC, 811 (free, 24 hours) will direct you. official The Fédération québécoise de l'autisme notes that screening through the CLSC needs no medical referral. official

The point of two doors is simple: the assessment queue can be long, and the supports do not have to wait for it. The full picture of the institutions is on Agir tôt, CLSC, CPE and school. Whether a private assessment is worth it for your family is on Public or private assessment in Quebec.

Elsewhere in Canada, the same conversation happens with a family doctor or pediatrician, and provincial early-intervention programs play the role Agir tôt does here.

If you leave with nothing

It happens. Here is the fallback, in order.

  1. Call the CLSC yourself and ask for developmental screening and Agir tôt. Say the doctor did not refer.
  2. Book a second opinion, with a different physician if you can, and bring the same folder.
  3. Write one email to the clinic, summarizing what you raised and asked for, so the request exists in writing.
  4. Keep the folder growing. Every month, one dated note and one video. If you are still worried in three months, you will walk in with evidence instead of a feeling.

None of this is adversarial. You are doing the part of the system that only a parent can do: noticing, and refusing to lose the notice.

This week

  • Print the script and fill in the blanks. Put it in a folder with your dated list and the M-CHAT-R/F.
  • Book the doctor, and on the same day call your CLSC (or 811) and ask about Agir tôt.
  • Ask daycare for one paragraph about how your child plays and handles transitions.

Sources

Questions parents ask

What should I say to my pediatrician if I think my child might be autistic?
Lead with specifics and a request. Name the two or three things you have noticed with rough dates, say that you have filled in the M-CHAT-R/F if you have, and ask directly for a referral for a developmental assessment and a hearing test. Ask that your concern and the request be written in the file today, even if the doctor prefers to wait.
My doctor said to wait and see. What do I do?
Politely ask for the referral anyway and for your concern to be documented. Research on thousands of families found that reassuring or passive responses to parental concern go with longer delays to an autism diagnosis. You can also go to your CLSC directly and ask about Agir tôt, which does not need a doctor's referral or a diagnosis.
Do I need a doctor's referral to start the autism process in Quebec?
Not to begin. You can contact your CLSC directly, or call 811, and ask for developmental screening and the Agir tôt program, which serves children under 7 without a diagnosis. A physician or psychologist is needed for the diagnosis itself, and a doctor's referral helps for the specialized public assessment, so it is worth pursuing both routes at once.

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Part of: I'm worried · plain markdown ·

This page explains; it does not diagnose or replace your clinician. Services, wait times, prices and benefit amounts change: confirm on the official page before acting. Found an error? Tell us and we will correct it publicly.