Organizational perspectives and diagnostic evaluations for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Eva Cloet, Anna Jansen, Mark Leys
PMID 34379800WHAT IT FOUND
Clinicians in Flanders reported that waiting for a formal diagnosis often delays necessary support.
They suggested starting care immediately upon suspicion using needs-based assessments. This approach aims to bypass long waiting lists and prevent children from aging out of eligibility for services.
Key findings
01Stakeholders proposed initiating care trajectories immediately upon suspicion of a neurodevelopmental disorder, using needs-based assessments rather than waiting for a categorical diagnosis.
02Participants argued that diagnostic evaluations should be viewed as an iterative, long-term process intertwined with the child's care trajectory, not a one-time event at the start.
03The current requirement for a categorical diagnosis to access care and funding creates barriers, including long waiting times and exclusion of older children.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in Flanders, Belgium, so the specific regulatory and funding barriers described may not apply to other healthcare systems. Private practice providers and parents were not included as participants, limiting the view to publicly funded organizational perspectives. The Ambulatory Hospital Service for Paediatric Psychiatry group was cancelled due to low participation, so this perspective is missing. Participants were selected by managers, which may have introduced selection bias and missed divergent opinions.
Declared interests
The research was commissioned by the Flemish authorities. No other conflicts of interest are declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that starting support without a formal diagnosis is currently permitted or reimbursed in your jurisdiction. This paper reports the opinions of stakeholders in a specific region who are advocating for this change, not evidence that it is already standard practice or safe to implement without local regulatory approval.