If your child has been referred for an autism assessment in the UK, you may be facing a wait of anywhere from 12 to 36 months. That time does not have to be empty. Research consistently shows that early, targeted support improves outcomes for children with developmental differences — and you do not need a diagnosis to begin. This guide explains what you can do right now, while you wait.
Why acting now matters
The brain is at its most adaptable in the first years of life. Researchers at Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child describe early childhood as a period of exceptional neural plasticity — when supportive experiences have their greatest impact. This does not mean you need to replicate a therapy programme at home. It means that consistent, calm, structured engagement with your child’s specific areas of development will support their progress regardless of any eventual diagnosis.
The approach used by occupational therapists and speech and language therapists is needs-led, not diagnosis-led. Professor Francesca Happé, a leading autism researcher at King’s College London, puts it plainly: what matters is understanding what a child needs — not waiting for a label to give permission to help.
Step 1: Understand what your child finds difficult
Before you can support your child, you need a clear picture of where they are right now — across communication, sensory processing, motor skills, and emotional regulation. This is different from Googling symptoms or comparing to milestones on a chart.
Dododo combines an initial screening with a personalised daily plan — built around your child’s starting point and adjusted as they progress. It covers the key developmental areas that OTs and speech therapists look at, and takes around 10 minutes to complete. It does not provide a clinical diagnosis — it gives you a clear picture of your child’s strengths and the areas that would benefit from support, so you know where to focus your energy.
Step 2: Build a short, consistent daily routine
One of the most reliable findings in early childhood development is that frequency matters more than intensity. Fifteen minutes of targeted, calm activity every day produces more durable progress than an occasional two-hour session.
What that looks like in practice depends on your child’s profile. Common starting points include:
- Sensory regulation activities before transitions (leaving the house, starting meals, bedtime)
- Simple turn-taking games to support joint attention and early communication
- Predictable routines with visual cues to reduce anxiety around change
- Physical activities that support proprioceptive input — carrying, pushing, climbing — for children who seek movement
You do not need specialist equipment. Most of what OTs recommend for this age group uses everyday objects and takes place in the context of normal family life.
Step 3: Keep a record of what you notice
When your appointment eventually comes, the professional will want to understand your child’s behaviour across different settings over time. Parents who bring structured, dated observations — not just a general account — are better placed to give clinicians the information they need.
A simple weekly note covering: what your child found easy this week, what was hard, any changes you noticed, and how they responded to new situations, is more useful than you might expect. It also helps you see progress that is easy to miss in the day-to-day.
Step 4: Know what support exists right now
A referral to CAMHS or a community paediatrician does not prevent you from accessing other support in parallel. Options worth exploring while you wait include:
- Your child’s school or nursery SENCO — they can put early support in place without waiting for a diagnosis
- A referral to speech and language therapy can sometimes be made by a GP or SENCO independently of an autism assessment
- Some local authorities offer early years SEND support groups and portage services for children under 5
- Charities such as the National Autistic Society and Contact provide guidance specific to your area
What Dododo is — and what it is not
Dododo is not a therapy programme and it does not replace the work of OTs, speech therapists, or the clinical assessment process. It is what families use between appointments and while on waiting lists — a structured, evidence-informed set of daily activities built around a child’s individual profile.
Dododo starts with a developmental screening — and from that point, builds a personalised daily plan matched to your child’s current level. As your child progresses, the plan adapts. The activities are based on approaches used by occupational therapists and speech therapists, and are designed for parents to use at home without any specialist training. Everything is included in a single monthly subscription, with no long-term commitment. Start at test.dododo.it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get support for my child without a diagnosis in the UK?
Yes. A formal diagnosis is not required to access support through school SENCOs, some speech and language therapy services, early years SEND provision, or tools like Dododo. The NHS itself recommends that children receive needs-led support regardless of diagnostic status.
How long is the autism waiting list in the UK?
NHS waiting times for autism assessments vary significantly by area, but waits of 18–36 months are common across England, Wales, and Scotland. Some areas report waits of over three years. NHS England publishes waiting time data annually.
Will doing activities at home affect the assessment outcome?
No. A clinical autism assessment looks at your child’s developmental history and behaviour across settings — it is not affected by the support activities you do at home. Early support is actively encouraged by NICE guidelines, which recommend that children with possible autism receive support for any identified needs without waiting for a confirmed diagnosis.
What does the Dododo screening cover?
The Dododo screening covers sensory processing, fine and gross motor development, communication and language, attention, and emotional regulation. It takes around 10 minutes and is completed by the parent. It is not a clinical tool and does not provide a diagnosis. The screening is the starting point — from it, Dododo builds a personalised daily plan that adjusts as your child progresses.
How does Dododo pricing work?
Dododo is available as a monthly subscription with no long-term commitment. The subscription includes the initial developmental screening, your child’s personalised daily plan, and ongoing adaptations as their skills develop.
Start with a clearer picture
If you are on a waiting list and want to do something useful in the meantime, the most helpful first step is understanding your child’s current developmental profile. Dododo starts with a 10-minute screening and builds a personalised daily plan from there — no referral needed, no waiting list, and no long-term commitment.
