Your Child’s First Support Team: A Simple Guide for Newly Diagnosed FamiliesThis article is adapted, with permission, from content originally published by Tamra and Jules, co-founders of Neuroverse (Neuroverse.co.za), two South African mums building a supportive neurodivergent community.
A new diagnosis rarely arrives quietly.
It comes with a stack of leaflets, a handful of referrals, well-meaning advice from every direction. And a growing sense that you’re suddenly responsible for coordinating an entire team, while still being a parent.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, this guide will help you make sense of who’s who on your child’s support team, when to involve them, and (just as importantly) how to keep everyone aligned, so you don’t become the permanent go-between.
Start with what’s most pressing (hint: it’s not everything)
When your child is newly diagnosed, it can feel like you need to do everything at once. You don’t.
A gentler rule of thumb:
- If sensory or daily functioning is the biggest challenge → start with an OT.
- If communication or understanding language is the concern → start with a Speech and Language Therapist.
- If emotions, behaviour, anxiety, or diagnosis clarity are front of mind → start with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or developmental paediatrician.
You can build the team gradually. Progress comes from doing the right next thing.
Who’s Who on Your Child’s Support Team
Developmental Paediatrician
A medical doctor specialising in child development.
When to see them:
If you’re looking for a developmental assessment or diagnostic clarity for conditions such as autism, ADHD, anxiety, or developmental delays.
What to expect:
A holistic assessment drawing on medical history, observations, and often input from teachers and therapists.
Their role:
Diagnosis, guidance, care coordination, and referrals. They may prescribe medication and recommend follow-ups.
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Supports sensory processing, motor skills, and daily functioning.
When to see them:
If your child struggles with sensory overload, regulation, handwriting, coordination, or everyday tasks.
What to expect:
Play-based assessments and weekly sessions tailored to your child’s sensory profile.
Their role:
Practical strategies, sensory diets, and home or school adaptations.
Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)
Supports communication, language, and social interaction.
When to see them:
For delayed speech, language comprehension challenges, social communication differences, or articulation issues.
What to expect:
Assessment of expressive and receptive language, followed by individualised therapy.
Their role:
Building communication skills and helping teachers and parents support language across settings.
Educational Psychologist
Focuses on learning, emotions, and school functioning.
When to see them:
If your child is struggling academically, emotionally, or socially at school, or needs learning accommodations.
What to expect:
Formal assessments (e.g. cognitive and educational testing) and ongoing therapeutic support.
Their role:
School recommendations, accommodation reports, and collaboration with educators.
Child / Paediatric Psychiatrist
A medical specialist in child mental health.
When to see them:
For diagnosis or treatment of ADHD, autism, anxiety, mood disorders, sleep difficulties, or when medication is being considered.
What to expect:
Detailed developmental history, assessments, and ongoing reviews.
Their role:
Medication management and coordination with therapists and schools.
Paediatric Neurologist
Specialist in the brain and nervous system.
When to see them:
For seizures, significant developmental delays, neurological symptoms, or diagnostic clarification.
What to expect:
Medical investigations such as EEGs or scans, alongside assessments.
Their role:
Rule-outs, diagnosis, and medical treatment where needed.
Psychologist / Play Therapist
Supports emotional wellbeing and regulation.
When to see them:
For anxiety, trauma, behavioural challenges, or emotional processing.What to expect:
Play-based or talk therapy, often weekly.
Their role:
Helping children develop coping skills and emotional insight, in partnership with parents and teachers.
Dietitian
Supports nutrition and feeding challenges.
When to see them:
For restrictive eating, ARFID, allergies, weight concerns, or special diets.
What to expect:
Dietary assessments and personalised plans.
Their role:
Practical nutrition strategies that support growth and regulation.
The part no one prepares you for: coordination
Here’s the piece parents often find hardest: keeping everyone in the loop.
Teachers ask for updates. Therapists want feedback. Doctors need reports. And suddenly, you’re translating, forwarding, summarising, and trying not to forget anything important.
You are not meant to hold this alone.
Simple micro-routines help:
- Keep brief notes between appointments (what changed, what helped).
- Share the same update with everyone involved.
- Store the most up-to-date reports and recommendations in one place so you’re not searching through email threads the night before appointments.
Dalza is an award-winning app that exists for exactly this reason: to give parents one secure place to keep and share their child’s information, notes, and reports, so the team sees the same picture, and you can step out of the middle.
Every practitioner brings something valuable. But progress for your child doesn’t come from collecting specialists; it comes from the collaboration between them.
When home, school, and clinicians can see the same evolving picture, support becomes more consistent, decisions become clearer, and you get to return to your most important role: being your child’s parent.
You don’t have to do this all at once. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Dalza is free for 30 days, so you can try it out risk-free.
To get started today, simply add your name and email here.
Parenting Hub is one of South Africa’s largest online lifestyle magazines, targeted toward Parents.
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Sun Smart from the Start: Keeping Toddlers Happy and Healthy in South Africa’s Sun“Keeping children safe doesn’t mean keeping them indoors—it means helping them enjoy the sunshine with confidence, comfort, and care,” says Ursula Assis, Country Director of Dibber International Preschools South Africa.
Dibber International Preschools encourages parents to embrace the joy of outdoor play while being mindful of heat-related risks. With toddlers particularly vulnerable to heat and sun exposure, the early years are an ideal time to establish healthy habits that last a lifetime.
“Sun safety becomes second nature when it’s introduced gently and consistently from a young age,” explains Assis. “At Dibber, we teach children to enjoy the outdoors while learning how to take care of their bodies – just as they see adults doing.”
Here are Dibber’s essential sun-smart tips to help parents keep toddlers cool, protected, and happy during South Africa’s sunny months:
- Time it right:
Outdoor play is safest in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is gentler and temperatures are cooler. Avoiding peak sun hours (typically 10am to 3pm) reduces the risk of overheating or sunburn. - Dress for the sun:
Lightweight, breathable clothing in light colours helps reflect heat. A wide-brimmed hat and toddler-friendly sunglasses add extra protection to sensitive areas like the neck, face, and eyes. - Sunscreen every day:
Use a broad-spectrum children’s sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. Apply generously 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours—especially after water play or sweating. - Hydration is key:
Toddlers need small, regular sips of water, even if they don’t ask. Keep fluids close at hand and encourage playful “water breaks” throughout outdoor activities. - Know the signs of heat stress:
Watch for flushed cheeks, tiredness, rapid breathing, or irritability. If your toddler shows any of these signs, move them to a shaded area, offer water, and help them cool down with a damp cloth. - Model the behaviour:
Children learn by observing. When adults wear hats, drink water, and apply sunscreen regularly, those habits become natural for little ones too. - Make it fun:
Turn sun safety into a game—let children choose their hats, sing a song while applying sunscreen, or pick a favourite water bottle. When sun care is playful, cooperation becomes easier.
At Dibber schools, sun safety is woven into the daily rhythm – through conversations, routines, and gentle role-modelling. From applying sunscreen to choosing shade during play, children begin to understand how to care for their bodies while still experiencing the joy and wonder of the outdoors.
“South Africa’s sunshine is part of what makes our childhoods magical,” says Assis. “Our role is to make sure that magic happens safely—so every child can play, explore and grow under the sun.”
To learn more about Dibber’s early childhood approach and how it supports whole-child wellbeing, visit www.dibber.co.za or follow @dibber_southafrica.
Parenting Hub is one of South Africa’s largest online lifestyle magazines, targeted toward Parents.
We understand that there are many aspects that encompass a Mother, Father or Child and strive toward providing resources and services that accommodates this.
Our content is aimed to inform and educate families on issues starting from pregnancy through to the challenges of the teen-age years.
Latest posts by Parenting Hub
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Language Diversity at Home: How Everyday Moments Shape Confident CommunicatorsLanguage is more than words. It’s how children express feelings, understand the world, and connect with others. Dibber International Preschools says a home that embraces language diversity powerfully supports a child’s development.
“Children are naturally curious about words, sounds and meaning,” says Ursula Assis, Country Director for Dibber International Preschools South Africa. “When families nurture language diversity at home—through storytelling, songs, or simple conversation—children grow up more confident, empathetic, and open to the world around them.”
Homes are often a child’s first classroom, and supporting language diversity doesn’t require formal lessons or fluency. Rather, it happens through small, meaningful moments interlaced into daily life.
From chatting in multiple languages during routines to reading bilingual books or singing nursery rhymes from different cultures, these everyday practices help children develop flexibility in thinking, stronger memory, and an expanded emotional vocabulary. According to Dibber, the goal is not perfection but exposure – and joyful engagement.
“Using your home languages freely and naturally helps children make important brain connections,” Assis explains. “And it also tells them: who you are, where you come from, and how you express yourself matters deeply.”
Play-based approaches work especially well. Labelling household items in different languages, using pretend play to introduce new vocabulary, and turning learning into games or songs keep the process fun and pressure-free. Dibber’s Nordic-rooted philosophy encourages families to celebrate their cultural roots and make language a shared, emotional experience – whether it’s counting in isiXhosa, singing in Afrikaans, or reading bedtime stories in English.
Dibber also highlights the importance of patience. “Children develop at their own pace. Some might mix languages or pause before responding, and that’s absolutely normal,” Assis reassures. “The key is to stay supportive and engaged without rushing them.”
Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in shaping how children experience language. By modelling curiosity and respect – greeting neighbours in their home language, learning a few new words together, or showing interest in other cultures – families can help children develop a lifelong love of language.
“Nurturing language diversity is about far more than communication,” says Assis. “It’s about raising confident children who can connect with others, understand different perspectives, and thrive in a multicultural world.”
With more than 600 high-quality preschools across nine countries, Dibber is a global leader in early childhood education. In South Africa, its campuses in Gauteng and the Western Cape offer holistic, heart-led learning environments that reflect and celebrate diversity, including language and culture.
For parents wondering where to start, Dibber’s advice is simple: talk, read, sing, and play. Children may not remember every word, but they will remember how language made them feel: curious, connected, and seen.
Parenting Hub is one of South Africa’s largest online lifestyle magazines, targeted toward Parents.
We understand that there are many aspects that encompass a Mother, Father or Child and strive toward providing resources and services that accommodates this.
Our content is aimed to inform and educate families on issues starting from pregnancy through to the challenges of the teen-age years.
Latest posts by Parenting Hub
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Post Views: 32,818
