10 Things To Do After Your Child’s Neurodevelopmental Assessment
A practical guide for parents of children newly diagnosed with Autism, ADHD and/or DCD
Receiving a neurodevelopmental diagnosis for your child can bring a mixture of relief, worry, validation, and uncertainty. Many parents leave the assessment asking themselves a single question: “What happens next?”
While every child and family is different, there are some common steps that can help you make the most of the assessment and translate recommendations into meaningful day-to-day support. This article sets out ten practical areas to focus on after your child’s assessment, particularly following a new diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and/or Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD/dyspraxia).
This is not a rigid sequence, nor does every step apply equally to every child. Think of it as a menu rather than a prescription. By working through these areas at your own pace, you can build a coordinated, realistic, and strengths-based plan around your child.
#1. Get organised (in a way that works for you)
Having key information in one place reduces stress and saves time. Information is power.
Many families find it helpful to keep:
- A single folder (paper, digital, or both) containing clinic letters, therapy reports, school reports, and test results
- A contact list of professionals involved in your child’s care
- A calendar or diary for appointments, reviews, and school meetings
Some parents prefer a lever-arch file; others use secure cloud storage or apps. There is no “right” system—choose what feels manageable for you. Bringing this information to appointments helps professionals understand your child more quickly and work together more effectively.
#2. Share the assessment report thoughtfully
It is usually helpful to share the clinic report with:
- Your child’s school or nursery (class teacher, SENCO, key worker)
- Relevant therapists (Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist, etc)
- Your GP
This avoids repeated history-taking, reduces duplication of assessments, and supports joined-up care. You remain in control of who sees the report and when. Some parents share it immediately; others take time to absorb the information first.
When professionals are working from the same understanding, support for your child is more likely to be consistent and coherent.
#3.Connect with support networks
Parent support groups—local or national—can be a valuable source of information, reassurance, and shared experience, particularly for ASD, ADHD and DCD.
Many parents find comfort in realising they are not alone. Others prefer to engage gradually or selectively. Both approaches are valid. Be mindful that online spaces can sometimes include misinformation or unhelpful comparisons; trusted organisations and moderated groups are usually the best starting point.
#4. Learn about your child’s neurodevelopmental profile
Understanding your child’s diagnosis empowers you to support them more effectively.
I recommend:
- Starting with trusted websites and resources that I recommended in your clinic report
- Reading specific, well-regarded books related to ASD, ADHD or DCD, that I suggested
- Avoiding overwhelming general internet searches in the early stages
The aim is not to become an expert overnight, but to develop a balanced, strengths-based understanding of how your child thinks, learns, and experiences the world, in the weeks following my assessment.
#5. Engage with therapy (and embed it into everyday life)
Based on your child’s need
Depending on your child’s needs, my recommendations may include input from:
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Psychology
Access routes may be via the NHS, education services, or independent providers, and waiting times can vary. Therapy works best when it is specific, practical, and reinforced regularly.
Parents are not expected to be therapists, but you are your child’s most consistent support. Observing therapy sessions and incorporating suggested strategies into everyday routines—through play, daily activities, and encouragement—can make a significant difference. ‘Use it or lose it’ is a fundamental principle of neuroplasticity. Activity determines the organisation of the brain and repeated practice helps consolidate the neural network.
#6. Work collaboratively with education
Whether your child is in nursery, school, or college, close collaboration with education staff is essential.
This usually includes:
- Sharing relevant reports
- Regular communication with the class teacher, SENCO, and support staff
- Listening to feedback from school and sharing your own observations
Some children may benefit from targeted SEN support; others may need consideration of an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Not all children with ASD, ADHD or DCD require an EHCP, but understanding the process can be helpful.
A respectful, collaborative approach—sometimes described as being a “pleasantly persistent parent”—is often the most effective.
#7. Seek practical and emotional support for the whole family
Caring for a neurodivergent child can be rewarding, but also emotionally and financially demanding.
You may be eligible for:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Carer’s Allowance
- Local authority concessions or support
Citizens Advice and local councils can help you explore what support is available.
Equally important is looking after your own wellbeing. Sharing concerns with trusted family, friends, or professionals, and accepting practical help or respite where possible, is not a sign of weakness—it is a vital part of sustaining your child’s support. As they say, ‘A problem shared is problem halved’.
#8. Follow through with recommended checks or tests
Some children benefit from additional assessments such as:
- Hearing or vision checks
- Dental review
- Blood tests or genetic investigations (in selected cases)
These are recommended in my report on an individual basis, and not routinely. Your GP or a nurse practitioner at your GP surgery can usually coordinate referrals where needed.
#9. Consider medical and non-medical interventions together
Every child is unique and so is their management plan. For some children—particularly those with ADHD or sleep difficulty—medication may be recommended as part of a broader management plan. Where this is advised, it should be used alongside behavioural, environmental, and educational strategies, not in isolation.
Medication is always a shared decision and is reviewed regularly. Many children make significant progress through combined non-medical and medical approaches.
#10. Review and adapt over time
Children grow, develop, and change—and so should their support plans.
Regular reviews help to:
- Assess what is working
- Adjust goals and strategies
- Plan next steps
Follow-up may occur within the NHS or privately. Having your information organised makes reviews more productive and less stressful.
Progress is rarely linear. Periods of rapid development and periods of plateau are both normal.
In summary
It is essential to periodically review all the above aspects of your child’s management plan. ‘Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand’, said Thomas Carlyle. So, by applying the above measures as contained in your child’s clinic report, you will be boosting your child’s life chances for education and development. Just like how a river cuts through even the mightiest rock with time, you too can carve your child’s future through patience and persevering with all the above.
Quick Checklist: After Your Child’s Assessment
✔ Organise reports and contacts (paper or digital)
✔ Share the assessment report with school, GP and therapists
✔ Connect with trusted ASD/ADHD/DCD support groups
✔ Learn from reliable, recommended resources
✔ Engage with therapy and reinforce strategies at home
✔ Collaborate with education and SEN services
✔ Explore financial, practical and emotional support
✔ Complete any recommended checks or tests
✔ Implement agreed medical and non-medical strategies
✔ Review progress and plans regularly
References
- Gada S. Community Paediatrics. Oxford Specialist Handbook in Paediatrics. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978 0 19 969695 6. Published Sept 2012.
- For families with disabled children. https://contact.org.uk/
- https://www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk/the-expert-patients-programme
- https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help
- https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/help-with-health-costs/
- https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children
- https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance
- https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist
- https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-an-optician
- https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/free-nhs-prescriptions
