In Poland, children wait up to six months or longer for a diagnosis. There are also people who receive a diagnosis only after the age of 30. This needs to change!

According to the JiM Report "Child with Autism. Access to Diagnosis, Therapy and Education in Poland," there is an inordinately long wait for diagnosis - 6 months, a year, or even longer. The latest data, including from the JiM Clinic, show that there are still many people who have been referred for diagnosis by specialists in their hometowns only after the age of 30. In 2020 alone, 37 adults from all over Poland were referred to the JiM Clinic for autism diagnosis.

Adults have struggled for many years with problems in their lives, problems in the family, at work and in relationships with other people. They struggled with loneliness and depression. They didn't know why society treated them differently.

The diagnosis gave them the answer.

Lack of diagnosis is also a huge problem in children. Before the diagnosis, parents and caregivers spend months anxiously watching their development, confused, not understanding what is going on. They bounce from specialist to specialist, looking for the cause. Diagnosis allows them to find the best possible help for the child. Help that gives them a chance to grow. For greater independence. Diagnosis gives a chance to realize the maximum potential of each child.

For every child, for every adult, a diagnosis is the answer to nagging questions. It is a starting point for a better life.

At the JiM Foundation, we fight to maximize access to autism diagnosis in Poland. We find systemic solutions and convince decision-makers to them. We also give direct access to diagnosis ourselves, with the help of our doctors and specialists. In 2020, we conducted more than 400 diagnoses at the JiM Foundation, including the aforementioned 37 adult diagnoses.

Support the JiM Foundation's activities at www.jim.org/polskananiebiesko.