Getting a diagnosis
Finding out that you or your child has a special educational need or disability can be a confusing and emotional time. While some parents or carers may receive a specific diagnosis at an early stage, others may learn later that their child has an additional need or global development delay. Some children and young people may start to experience problems later in life and so the process for getting a diagnosis may start later.
In some cases there might be a delay in receiving a diagnosis or you may never receive a specific diagnosis at all.
If you or your child have an undiagnosed condition you may worry that you might not be able to get any help or support - but this is not the case. Every person is different and is entitled to get support for their individual needs, regardless of whether they have a diagnosis.
Who can help ?
You can discuss your concerns with your GP or your child's development with your health visitor or request a referral to your community paediatrician.
Your GP may refer your child to a paediatrician, someone who specialises in conditions affecting children and young people. They in turn may refer your child to a consultant who specialises in a particular area of medicine. If your child has lots of symptoms, they might be referred to different specialists to see if any of them can make a diagnosis.
Other health professionals may be involved in assessing certain activities. For example, speech and language therapists (SALTs), physiotherapists and occupational therapists (OTs).
Your child or young person's school or college can also make referrals for some diagnostic services including Autism and ADHD.
Identifying the condition, special need or disability
This can be difficult - you may see several specialists before you finally find one who knows something about you or your child's symptoms and condition.
You may suspect a particular type of condition, so you could ask for a referral to a specialist service (for example for Autism, ADHD or Dyslexia).
If you want to do this, it is helpful to take a list of all the ways your or your child is affected along to the appointment to explain why the referral is needed. Support groups for the condition you have in mind may be able to help you find information and the right specialists to make a diagnosis.
If you think you or your child may benefit from a particular assessment or testing, then discuss this with your GP or medical professional.
Support after diagnosis
As well as dealing with your own emotions and concerns for the future, you may also need to offer support and advice to other family members such as partners, children and grandparents. You may come into contact with a number of different professionals during this time, and at some stage will want to find out more about your child's difficulties.
During and after receiving a diagnosis parents may need time to come to terms with their feelings and discuss any decisions they are going to make.
It’s likely that you will come into contact with a number of different health care workers, including GPs, obstetricians, paediatricians, occupational therapists, health visitors and portage workers.
Use this time to ask questions so that you fully understand your child’s condition and the options available to you.
Information, advice and support
It can be hard knowing where to go to get the right help and advice if you have a child with SEND. The useful resources listed on this page offer just a few of the local and national support services available to you and your family.
Social services needs assessments
You're entitled to have a social services assessment of your child's needs and of your needs as a parent carer, whether your child or young person has a named diagnosis or not. You can request an assessment by contacting the children’s disability service.
Financial support
There are a range of benefits and tax credits for families caring for a disabled child. These are dependent on the level of support or care that your child needs.
For example, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are intended to cover your child's extra care and mobility needs. You can claim these benefits even if your child does not have a diagnosis.
Useful resources
Bromley 0 – 19 public health service