Neurodevelopmental conditions (NDC) pathway
What happens when my child is referred for an assessment?
The referral will be triaged initially to assess whether enough information has been provided. Many referrals are rejected as there is not enough information for us to properly assess the child initially.
It is important that information is provided from at least two settings, as different environments will affect children differently.
If a child is Electively Home Educated, evidence can be submitted from a group attended, a course, or observations from other services such as a tutor or another adult (not the parent) involved with them. If they have reports from a previous school attendance these can be submitted also.
In some instances, the Community Paediatrics Team will need to expedite referrals accepted onto the pathway due to the presenting clinical needs of the child. This is evaluated by a triage consultant who also provides a second layer of triage to assess who the child would be best placed to see.
Once the referral has been accepted you will be sent a letter confirming that your child has been put on the wait list to be seen. An information leaflet about the process and local supports available to you whilst on the wait list will be included.
Translated versions of the NDC Pathway leaflet:
- NDC Pathway leaflet (Urdu) (PDF)
- NDC Pathway leaflet (Punjabi) (PDF)
- NDC Pathway (Hindi) (PDF)
- NDC Pathway (Arabic) (PDF)
Consent
The referral, and process, should be discussed with the child’s parent or carer who will need to consent to sharing the information detailed. Consent should be obtained from both the parent and young person. If the young person is aged 11 or over and has capacity. Consent can be verbal or written.
Who will see my child?
In our team your child might see a neurodevelopmental paediatrician, a specialist paediatric doctor or other developmental specialist.
Who they see will depend on their needs and whether they are a new patient or have been seen by us before. We will do our best to make sure you see the same person again if needed.
What happens when my child is seen?
The doctor will listen to your concerns. They will ask you questions about your child’s development, medical history and questions about your family history. The doctor will observe and interact with your child and complete a physical examination in most cases. A report will be provided to you and your GP about the outcome of the assessment.
In many cases it is necessary to gather more information from you, your child’s teacher, and the young person themselves (if they are old enough). In some cases, a referral to another professional for different testing will be needed to complete your child’s assessment.
Once all the necessary information has been gathered you will meet the doctor to review the outcome. Most children we see will not need to have regular follow ups with our service and will be discharged back to their GP.
Follow up patient appointments
These are offered by the consultants and can also involve neurodevelopmental nurse specialists or a speciality doctor.
