Before the diagnosis
You suspect your child is developing differently, but there is no diagnosis yet. This is the longest and hardest part of the journey — and the one where it is easiest to feel helpless.
Suspecting that a child is developing differently can be frightening. But it is also the beginning of the path towards understanding and the right support.
You do not have to wait for a diagnosis in order to act. Part of the support in the public system is available before a report exists — and the paperwork you organize now is what you will need later for every application.
How long is the wait, realistically?
Let us be honest: waiting for an assessment in the public system can be long. According to reports from the media and parents' associations, the wait ranges from several months to over a year — there is no official statistic (as of July 2026). That is frustrating, but the waiting time does not have to be lost time.
Four things you can do right away
None of them requires a completed diagnosis.
Book an appointment at a developmental counseling center
Work with a speech therapist or special educator can begin even before a diagnosis — free, within the public system, and in many cities without a referral.
Call the Savez
Savez udruženja Srbije za pomoć osobama sa autizmom (the Serbian Federation of Autism Associations) has a daily phone line for questions about rights and procedures. Other parents' experience is invaluable.
Organize your paperwork
One folder for all findings, reports and notes — you will need it later for every application.
Stay on the public waiting list
Stay on the public waiting list even if you go the private route. Why? The section just below explains.
Private assessment in Serbia — faster, but not a substitute
Approximate prices (as of 11/2025):
- Initial examination / report — 1,800–6,000 RSD
- Speech therapy session (45 min) — 1,400–3,300 RSD
- ADOS testing — from about 12,000 RSD
Important: a private assessment is faster, but to claim benefits — dodatak za pomoć i negu drugog lica (the allowance for the assistance and care of another person) and support through the interresorna komisija (inter-agency commission) — findings from public institutions are generally required. In practice a private report usually has to be supplemented by a public one. So treat a private assessment as a faster start, not as a replacement for the public route.
These figures apply to Serbia. In the other countries this site covers (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Slovenia) prices and procedures differ — the section for your country in the free Mika Guide app is authoritative.
Read on
The free Mika Guide accompanies exactly this phase step by step — with five articles on early signs, the path through the Serbian system, the M-CHAT screening test, waiting, and what to expect at the assessment. It downloads about 3,7 MB once, then also works offline.
For the scientific background: the knowledge base brings together 306 studies, each checked twice.
Waiting is the hardest part of this journey. But every appointment you book, every report you save and every conversation you have — that is already support for your child.
Let’s get to know each other
If you’d like someone who understands both professionally and from personal experience – I’m here. No obligation, at your own pace, online or in person by arrangement. The introductory conversation is offered in Serbian, German, Croatian and English.