Parental reaction to disability

How the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disability is communicated to the family has long-lasting effects. When clarification of the diagnosis takes a long time, this is particularly hard for child health professionals to manage well, and a joint understanding of the process with the family is important. Guidelines for the conduct of the diagnostic consultation are presented.The impact of the child's disability on the family depends on many factors, including the child's behaviours, available resources and the family's coping strategies. By understanding families' individual differences, professionals can provide excellent health care but also help families to promote the child's quality of life and social participation.