Worried your child has a developmental delay? Who to see first, and how autism and ADHD are assessed
Parents worried about their child's development can consult a Maternal and Child Health Centre, a family doctor or a paediatrician; the Child Assessment Service assesses children under 12 with developmental or behavioural problems and accepts referrals from Maternal and Child Health Centres, registered medical practitioners, and clinical or educational psychologists (Department of Health, March and December 2024). Assessment and follow-up for an individual child are decided by the doctor.
Worried your child has a developmental delay: who should you see first?
When a child has not reached the expected abilities in some areas of development, parents can consult the Maternal and Child Health Centre in their district, a family doctor or paediatrician, or other relevant healthcare professionals; the page also lists, by age, the situations in which parents should consult a healthcare professional (Department of Health Child Assessment Service, ‘From Showing Concern to Getting a Referral’, March 2024). To find a paediatrician by district, Book a Doctor's Paediatrics list shows 252 doctors (as of 25 October 2026) listed under Paediatrics on the Medical Council's Specialist Register, in order of English name, not of preference (this page is compiled by this site).
A registered medical practitioner usually makes an initial assessment first and then refers the child to an assessment centre as needed; the service also accepts referrals from Maternal and Child Health Centres, registered medical practitioners, and clinical or educational psychologists (Department of Health Child Assessment Service, March 2024). Within six months of the date on the referral letter, parents must bring the original referral letter and book, by phone or in person, an initial nursing assessment at the assessment centre for the district where they live; faxed referrals are not accepted.
Maternal and Child Health Centres provide health and developmental surveillance for children from birth to five years old; children found through surveillance to have developmental problems are first assessed by a Maternal and Child Health Centre doctor, and those suspected of having developmental problems are then referred to the Child Assessment Service of the Department of Health or the Hospital Authority for further assessment (Secretary for Food and Health's reply to the Legislative Council, June 2018).
Suspected autism: which service usually does the assessment in Hong Kong?
The service is for children under 12 with developmental disabilities or behavioural problems, commonly including autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, language disorders, dyslexia and intellectual disability; more complex cases are assessed by a multidisciplinary team (Department of Health Child Assessment Service, ‘Scope of service’, December 2024).
The service's assessment team is made up of the professionals in the table below.
| Team member | Work, according to the service's web page |
|---|---|
| Paediatrician (with knowledge of and experience in child development and behaviour) | Overall developmental and behavioural assessment; brings together the team members' assessment results and draws up the rehabilitation plan and treatment direction |
| Clinical psychologist | Assessment of intelligence, behaviour, emotions and social skills; counselling for parents |
| Speech therapist | Communication, articulation, voice and fluency |
| Occupational therapist | Fine motor development, visual perception, handwriting and sensory integration |
| Physiotherapist | Gross motor development, physical growth, physical fitness and coordination |
| Audiologist | Hearing assessment; referral to ENT when needed |
| Optometrist | Assessment of visual function; referral to an eye clinic when needed |
| Registered nurse and medical social worker | Health promotion, parent counselling, referrals and applications for social resources |
Suspected attention deficit: see a paediatrician or a psychiatrist?
The Department of Health's Child Assessment Service at that time assessed children under 12 suspected of having developmental problems (including those with tendencies or symptoms of autism or hyperactivity disorder); after an initial assessment at an assessment centre, children with autistic tendencies and hyperactivity disorder or its symptoms were referred to Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinics for further assessment and treatment (Secretary for Food and Health's reply to the Legislative Council, December 2013).
Developmental-Behavioural Paediatrics (S57) is a branch of Paediatrics that assesses and manages children with developmental, learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties (Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Specialty Descriptions, April 2025).
Which specialty follows up an individual child is decided by the doctor according to the assessment results; for choosing between paediatrics and psychiatry, see How to choose a paediatrician and How to choose a psychiatrist.
Frequently asked questions
Worried your child has a developmental delay: who should you see first?
Parents can consult a Maternal and Child Health Centre, a family doctor or a paediatrician; a registered medical practitioner usually makes an initial assessment first and then refers the child to an assessment centre as needed (Department of Health Child Assessment Service, March 2024).
Suspected autism: which service usually does the assessment in Hong Kong?
The Department of Health's Child Assessment Service assesses children under 12 with developmental or behavioural problems (including autism spectrum disorder), with a team made up of paediatricians, clinical psychologists, speech therapists and others; a referral is needed from a Maternal and Child Health Centre, a registered medical practitioner, or a clinical or educational psychologist.
Suspected attention deficit: should my child see a paediatrician or a psychiatrist?
The Department of Health's Child Assessment Service at that time assessed children suspected of having hyperactivity disorder and, after an initial assessment, referred them to Hospital Authority specialist outpatient clinics for further assessment and treatment (Government reply to the Legislative Council, December 2013); which specialty follows up an individual child is decided by the doctor.