Waiting For A Diagnosis
Being referred for an assessment can feel like progress, but the waiting period that follows can also be difficult.
You may have spent years trying to understand yourself, finally taken the step of asking for an assessment, and then find yourself waiting for answers.
While you wait, it’s okay to continue learning about yourself, recognising your needs and finding strategies that make everyday life more manageable. You don’t have to put understanding yourself on hold until an assessment takes place.
Reasons For Seeking Answers
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Understanding Yourself
You may want an explanation for experiences or difficulties that have followed you throughout your life.
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Accessing Support
A diagnosis may sometimes help when discussing appropriate support or adjustments in healthcare, education or employment.
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Making Sense Of The Past
An assessment can provide an opportunity to discuss childhood and adult experiences that may previously have been misunderstood.
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Recognising Patterns
You may have noticed recurring differences involving communication, sensory experiences, attention, organisation, routines or other areas.
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Family Experiences
Learning that somebody in your family is neurodivergent may have encouraged you to reflect on similar experiences of your own.
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Moving Forward
For some people, seeking an assessment is part of learning what they need to live and work in ways that better suit them.
Where Do I Start?
The route to assessment can depend on what you’re seeking an assessment for, your age and where you live.
In the UK, speaking to your GP can be a useful starting point for discussing concerns and asking about appropriate referral pathways. Children and young people’s pathways can involve different health and education services depending on local arrangements.
You can explain what has led you to seek an assessment, how your experiences affect everyday life and any relevant difficulties you’ve experienced throughout childhood or adulthood.
You don’t need to arrive with a perfectly prepared case. The purpose of asking for help is to begin the conversation.
What Information Might Be Helpful?
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Examples From Everyday Life
Write down specific situations that demonstrate the difficulties or differences you’ve noticed.
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Childhood Experiences
Think about school, friendships, behaviour, routines, communication, attention or sensory experiences when you were younger.
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Current Difficulties
Consider how your experiences affect work, education, relationships, family life or everyday responsibilities.
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Strategies You’ve Developed
You may have created routines, coping strategies or ways of masking difficulties without previously understanding why.
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Family Information
Where relevant, information about neurodevelopmental conditions within your family may be useful to discuss.
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Questions
Writing down questions beforehand can make it easier to remember what you wanted to ask during an appointment.
Understanding The Assessment Process
An assessment isn’t a test that you need to “pass” or “fail”.
The process is intended to build a detailed picture of your experiences, development and current circumstances and determine whether they meet the relevant diagnostic criteria.
Depending on the assessment, this may involve conversations, questionnaires, developmental history and information from other people who know you well.
The exact process can differ between services and depending on the condition being assessed.
Support Still Matters While You’re Waiting
Assessment waiting times can sometimes be long, and being placed on a waiting list doesn’t mean your difficulties suddenly disappear.
While waiting, you can continue learning about your needs, identifying strategies that make everyday life easier and seeking appropriate help for individual difficulties where this is available.
If your mental or physical health is being affected, you don’t need to wait for a neurodevelopmental assessment before discussing those concerns with an appropriate healthcare professional.
Your need for understanding and support matters regardless of where you currently are in the diagnostic process.
Continue Your Diagnosis Journey
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Questioning Neurodivergence
Find Out More -
Waiting For Diagnosis
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Recently Diagnosed
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Self-Acceptance
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Moving Forward
Seeking Answers Is A Valid Step
Whatever the eventual outcome of an assessment, trying to better understand yourself is worthwhile. Sen-tastic welcomes people throughout the journey — from the first questions to diagnosis and everything that comes afterwards.
Join the Sen-tastic Community
Connect with a growing community of neurodivergent people, families and supporters.