The path to a diagnosis: explained step by step

The path to a diagnosis often feels like a maze without a map. In the next few minutes I will give you the map: five steps, from the very beginning right up to the moment you hold a diagnosis in your hands, and beyond.

A quick note first: the basic steps are similar in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Wherever the entry point or the waiting time differs from country to country, I will tell you right there on the spot.

Step one: the paediatrician as door-opener

In most cases the path starts here. In Austria and Germany the paediatrician is the typical first point of contact who refers you on in a targeted way. In Switzerland, since July 2022 a medical referral has been the gateway to insurance-funded psychotherapy, usually via the family doctor or paediatrician or a specialist physician.

Go in with concrete observations, not assumptions. Write down beforehand what you notice, in which situations and how often. The more specific you are, the more seriously it is taken. And actively ask for a referral if you feel more assessment is needed.

Even before the first appointment: self-reflection with bloomnow

Sometimes the biggest hurdle is simply finding words for your own gut feeling. bloomnow can walk alongside you here. With us you'll find guided self-reflections with focused questions and examples, for yourself, for your child or for a child you support. They lead you step by step through concrete everyday situations and help you assess for yourself whether something might be pointing towards neurodivergence. That's a good basis for the concrete observations from step one, and it takes away the speechlessness before the first conversation.