Eligibilities of and services for children with developmental disorders

Contact your treating physician to begin a diagnostic process if:

• The child was born prematurely.
• There is a family history of developmental disorders, neurological disorders or syndromes, or birth defects.
• There is a developmental delay or symptoms of a problem in any of the following areas: fine or gross motor skills, communication disorder, delay in language acquisition or behavioral disorders accompanied by developmental delay.
• There are symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder before age 6.

Children with a multiple developmental disorder will be diagnosed and treated at an institute or department authorized by the Ministry of Health.

Children of up to 4 years old with suspected developmental delay will be referred for diagnosis to an authorized child development center.

Children between 4 and 9 years old who do not suffer from a somatic developmental disorder or multiple developmental disorder can be diagnosed by a certified medical practitioner who is not part of an authorized medical institute or department.

Children who have been diagnosed with a somatic developmental disorder are eligible for therapy free of charge until 18 years of age, as necessary, and up to 3 treatments per week.

Therapy plans for children without a somatic developmental disorder will be set based on age, need, goals and targets, by the certified medical practitioners or professionals.

What are the maximum number of treatments for developmental disorders

• Ages 0 to 3: need-based, according to the professional medical discretion of a specialist at the HMO, unlimited number of treatments.
• Ages 3 to 6: need-based, according to the professional medical discretion of a specialist at the HMO, up to 27 treatments per field and up to 54 treatments in total.
• Ages 6 to 9: need-based, according to the professional medical discretion of a specialist at the HMO, Up to 9 treatments per field and up to 18 treatments in total.

How much do treatments for developmental disorders cost

• Children up to 3 years of age are eligible for therapy free of charge.
• Children from 3 years of age whose parents receive welfare payments are eligible for therapy free of charge.

The maximum cost for child development services for children aged 3 to 9 is determined by law (Paragraph 6 of the second part of the second addition). Costs are updated from time to time (in accordance with the instructions of the law).

Autism is not a somatic developmental disorder.

The basket of services is provided from the diagnosis until age 18 for children who are not participants in the Ministry of Health advanced health therapy program.

The basket includes up to 3 hours of weekly treatments from a certified healthcare professional on a need basis.

More on autism, diagnosis and educational institutes at the Ministry of Health website