Children—especially girls and highly intelligent or sensitive boys—can become experts at masking the signs of neurodivergence. They may learn to mimic peers, suppress stimming behaviours, or overcompensate for attention difficulties, making their challenges less obvious to parents, teachers, and even standard assessments.
At MakeWell, our specialist clinicians understand how masking works in children, and they are trained to look deeper. Here’s how we support families:
- Thorough, Child-Centered Assessments
Our team spends more time with each child and family than typical services, using carefully structured interviews, play-based observations, and developmental histories to detect subtle signs of neurodivergence that might be masked.
- Understanding the Social Pressures Children Face
Children often hide their struggles to avoid standing out, getting in trouble, or feeling different. MakeWell clinicians are trained to recognise this protective behaviour and gently explore what’s happening beneath the surface.
Sadly we know that masking can all too often delay assessment and diagnosis for some children, whether they are not accepted for an assessment if school do not see the signs, or whether the assessing clinic do not have the time or skill to dig beneath the surface level of behaviours. It is important to our team that all children have the opportunity for a holistic assessment and plan to support their real needs.
By taking time to build trust and look beyond what’s obvious, our clinicians can identify children who are masking—and help families get the right support, sooner.