Hey Amber

The GP will give a referral for a Paediatrician, which is the best place to start.

The Paediatrician will do a general assessment covering a whole lot of developmental areas. ASD will only be one of the things they consider at this stage...

Ask lots of questions and try not to be too disappointed if you don't get answers straight away. In fact, it's normally a good sign that professionals are doing their jobs properly, if they don't jump to conclusions too quickly.

Sometimes it's really helpful to write things down before you go to your appointment...write down your questions as they pop into your head over the next few weeks and write down information about your son's birth, milestones, family history, etc.

If they decide that ASD is a possibility, they will refer you onto other specialists. In WA, to receive an ASD diagnosis, your child needs to be assessed by a Paediatrician + Speech Pathologist + Clinical Psychologist...but it is different from state to state.

I know it's easy to say, but try not to read into behaviours too much or read stuff too much stuff on the internet.

I really think you are doing the right thing by checking things out. It's not easy but it's really wise. And it's every likelihood that everything will be fine...but either way, at least you'll know.

All the best!