Theory of Mind is very important to consider in assessing ASD individuals. Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states to other people. It is the ability to make the distinction between what people do and what people think we do. We are not born with this ability we need to learn it. Children and people with autism have difficulty attributing mental states to other people. They don’t think that other people have thoughts, needs, and/or desires. One example that was given in the video links displays the inability to apply this theory of mind to others was in the example of the boy who pointed to the sweets. The boy did not have the ability to communicate with words so his parents taught him to point to a specific cabinet when he wanted sweets. The boy would point to the cabinet and would obtain a sweet. However, sometimes he would point to the cabinet when no one was around. He would get frustrated that he wouldn’t get a sweet. What he didn’t realize was that no one else was in the room while he was pointing. He did not understand that everyone else doesn’t know that he wants a sweet. The boy imagines that everyone else knows what that he wants a sweet and that is not the case. 
I think this example is very important to consider when assessing individuals with ASD. When assessing individuals with ASD you need to really look at what you’re assessing. Using the example above, are you assessing the skill of the boy to point to the cabinet with the sweets in order to obtain the sweet, or are you assessing the ability of the boy to communicate his want for a sweet. Initially the skill of pointing to the sweets fits both requirements of obtaining a sweet, however, if the boy continues to point to the cabinet with no one in the kitchen, he is not successfully communicating his want for a sweet. In that case, the boy is not successfully communicating and therefore would not pass the assessment of being able to communicate his need of wanting a sweet. A new skill would need to be taught of getting someone to go to the kitchen with the boy and then pointing to the cabinet for the sweet. Because we are not born with the innate ability to have Theory of Mind, everyone needs to learn it. People with ASD need to be specifically taught that other people have thoughts, needs, and/or desires.