How to get a Developmental Paediatrician appointment in Australia
Assessment pathways, who can diagnose, public and private options, and the NDIS
A practical guide for Australian parents navigating developmental concerns and specialist care.
Important: Developmental assessment pathways vary between states, services and individual children. A developmental paediatrician is not always the only clinician who can assess or diagnose a developmental condition.
What is a developmental paediatrician?
A developmental paediatrician is a specialist doctor who assesses children with concerns about their development, learning, behaviour and neurodevelopment.
Unlike a general paediatrician, developmental paediatricians focus particularly on children who may have:
Autism spectrum disorder
ADHD
Global developmental delay
Intellectual disability
Speech and language delays
Learning difficulties
Motor delays
Genetic or developmental syndromes
Complex developmental concerns
They often work alongside psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, educators and other health professionals.
When should you ask for a referral?
Consider asking your GP for a referral when developmental, behavioural, learning or communication concerns are persistent, affect everyday life, or involve more than one area of development.
Babies
Not meeting expected developmental milestones
Limited eye contact or social engagement
Limited babbling
Feeding difficulties alongside developmental concerns
Low muscle tone
Significant motor delay
Toddlers
Delayed speech
Does not respond consistently to their name
Limited pretend play
Repetitive behaviours
Difficulty interacting with other children
Significant sensory differences
Preschool children
Behaviour concerns
Emotional regulation difficulties
Difficulty following instructions
Social communication concerns
Possible ADHD
Learning concerns before school
School-aged children
Attention difficulties
Hyperactivity or impulsivity
Autism concerns
Learning difficulties or disorders
Significant behavioural challenges
Possible intellectual disability
Do I need a GP referral?
A GP referral is generally required to access a Medicare rebate for a private developmental paediatrician appointment and to be considered by many public developmental paediatric services.
Where possible, ask your GP whether they can refer your child to both a public service and one or more private developmental paediatricians at the same time. This allows your child to remain on the public waiting list while you explore earlier private options.
Public vs private developmental paediatricians
What happens after the referral?
Many parents expect to simply wait for an appointment, but developmental services often need detailed information before deciding whether to accept and prioritise the referral.
You may be asked to provide:
Developmental or behavioural questionnaires
School or childcare reports
Teacher questionnaires
Previous medical or assessment reports
Speech pathology, occupational therapy or psychology reports
Hearing and vision test results
Information about how the concerns affect everyday functioning
Complete and return requested forms promptly. Keep copies of everything you submit.
Developmental assessment pathways in Australia
Not every child needs to see a developmental paediatrician first. The most appropriate pathway depends on the main concern, the child’s age, the complexity of their needs and which services are available locally.
Autism assessment
An autism assessment may involve one clinician or a multidisciplinary team. Depending on the pathway, professionals may include:
Developmental paediatrician
General paediatrician with appropriate experience
Child and adolescent psychiatrist
Clinical psychologist
Speech pathologist
Occupational therapist
Multidisciplinary public assessment team
Some children can be assessed by an appropriately qualified single clinician. Other children need input from several professionals, particularly when the presentation is complex or there are overlapping developmental, language, cognitive or mental health concerns.
ADHD assessment
ADHD assessment usually involves gathering information from more than one setting, such as home and school. The pathway may include:
Developmental paediatrician
General paediatrician
Child and adolescent psychiatrist
Psychologist for behavioural or cognitive assessment
A psychologist may contribute valuable assessment information, but medication assessment and prescribing require an appropriately authorised medical practitioner.
Speech or language delay
Speech pathology assessment
Hearing assessment
GP or child health review
Developmental paediatrician review when there are broader developmental concerns
Learning concerns
Educational or clinical psychologist
School learning-support team
Speech pathologist where language is involved
Occupational therapist where functional or sensory concerns are involved
Paediatrician or developmental paediatrician when there are broader neurodevelopmental concerns
Global developmental delay or multiple areas of concern
Children with delays across several developmental areas may need a broader medical and multidisciplinary assessment. This can include developmental testing, hearing and vision checks, allied health assessment, genetic testing or other investigations where clinically indicated.
Who can diagnose autism in Australia?
Depending on the child, the clinician’s qualifications and the assessment pathway, autism may be diagnosed by:
Developmental paediatricians
Paediatricians with relevant experience
Child and adolescent psychiatrists
Clinical psychologists working within their professional scope
Multidisciplinary autism assessment teams
The diagnosis should be based on a comprehensive assessment using recognised diagnostic criteria. The reports required by schools, state services, the NDIS or other organisations can differ, so it is worth asking what documentation will be provided before booking a private assessment.
Who can diagnose ADHD?
ADHD is commonly diagnosed by paediatricians, developmental paediatricians and psychiatrists. Psychologists may complete behavioural and cognitive assessments and provide evidence supporting the diagnostic process, but they do not prescribe medication.
How to improve your chances of getting the right appointment
Ask your GP to describe the specific concerns, their duration and how they affect your child’s daily functioning.
Include reports from childcare, school, therapists and previous clinicians with the referral.
Ask for referrals to both public and private services where appropriate.
Contact several private clinics and ask about cancellation lists.
Check whether the clinic requires psychology, speech pathology, hearing or other assessments before the paediatric appointment.
Return every questionnaire and consent form promptly.
Update the referring GP and clinic if your child’s needs significantly change while waiting.
What should I do while waiting?
Start support based on need
Children often do not need to wait for a formal diagnosis before starting appropriate support. Depending on the concerns, this may include speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, parenting support, hearing assessment or school-based assistance.
Collect useful evidence
School and childcare reports
Developmental checklists
Examples of communication, play, sensory or behavioural concerns
Videos where appropriate and safe
Reports from therapists
A timeline of concerns and previous referrals
A list of strategies already tried and whether they helped
Keep your GP involved
Return to your GP if concerns escalate, your child loses previously acquired skills, their safety becomes difficult to manage, or new medical or developmental issues emerge. The GP may be able to update the referral, request reprioritisation or arrange other assessments while you wait.
Developmental paediatricians and the NDIS
Many families assume that an NDIS application must begin with a developmental paediatrician or a particular diagnosis. In practice, the pathway depends on the child’s age, needs and the NDIS access rules applying at the time. It’s important to note that currently there are significant changes in the NDIS access rules space that are going to be forthcoming. You will need to carefully understand how these access changes may affect your personal circumstances.
A diagnosis does not automatically guarantee NDIS access. Evidence generally needs to explain the child’s functional difficulties, the support they require and whether the relevant access criteria are met.
Supporting evidence may come from:
Paediatricians or other medical specialists
Psychologists
Speech pathologists
Occupational therapists
Physiotherapists
Other treating professionals
Early childhood partners or other NDIS pathway providers
For younger children, families may be able to approach the NDIS early childhood pathway without waiting for a developmental paediatrician diagnosis. However, processes and eligibility rules can change, so families should check the current NDIS requirements and ask prospective assessors whether their reports are suitable for the purpose needed.
Practical tip: Do not delay helpful therapy or school support solely because your child is waiting for a diagnosis. Services can often begin working on your child’s functional needs while the diagnostic pathway continues.
Frequently asked questions
Can my GP refer to both public and private developmental paediatricians?
Yes. A child can usually remain on a public waiting list while also pursuing a private appointment. Each service will have its own referral and intake requirements.
Can I start therapy before my child has a diagnosis?
Often, yes. Many supports can be provided according to the child’s developmental and functional needs rather than waiting for a formal diagnosis.
Does private health insurance cover developmental paediatrician appointments?
Private health insurance generally does not cover routine outpatient specialist consultations. A Medicare rebate may apply when the child has a valid referral, but families commonly have an out-of-pocket cost. Private health insurance may apply differently to eligible inpatient hospital services.
How long are the waiting lists?
Waiting periods vary considerably. Public developmental services may have long waiting lists, while private appointments may range from weeks to many months or longer. Developmental, autism and ADHD assessment pathways may have different wait times even within the same clinic.
Do I need a developmental paediatrician for an autism assessment?
Not always. Some autism assessments are completed by psychologists, psychiatrists, paediatricians or multidisciplinary teams. The best pathway depends on the child’s complexity, local services and the type of documentation required.
Key takeaways
Ask your GP about referrals to both public and private services.
A developmental paediatrician is not always the only assessment pathway.
Gather reports from school, childcare and treating professionals before the appointment.
Begin appropriate supports based on your child’s needs where possible.
Update the referral if your child’s condition or level of concern changes.
NDIS access is based on applicable eligibility criteria and functional evidence, not diagnosis alone.
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Disclaimer: This article provides general information about navigating Australian health services. It does not replace advice from your child’s GP, specialist or treating team. Service pathways and eligibility requirements vary and may change.
