
During children’s formative years, some of them may require more attention and care than others. It is crucial to seek the proper assessment for special needs kids and source out the specific help that they need to support their learning journey. If you’re unsure of where to begin finding the appropriate and accurate assessments for them, here are our top picks of places and organizations that will help you out.
Need a bit more help
Want more? Check out our other education guides here.
GDI is a child development and therapy center founded on the belief of Gestalt’s principles of ‘Whole-ness’. They strongly believe in developing the ‘Whole’ child, engaging the ‘Whole’ ecosystem, and walking with you through the ‘Whole’ journey to maximize your child’s potential to be included and be a valued contributing member of society throughout their life. GDI specializes in providing comprehensive support to children and adolescents aged 2 to 18.
With a focus on Gestalt psychology principles, GDI offers personalized interventions through a team of skilled professionals. Their holistic approach encompasses therapy services such as educational, occupational, and speech-language therapy, as well as psychology and school readiness programs. GDI also constructed a cutting-edge Immersive Reality Room (IMR) within their center which transforms their walls to be touch sensitive. Additionally, GDI strongly believes in empowering parents, teachers, and domestic helpers through their training programs.
Gestalt Developmental Institute Pte. Ltd., Forum Office Tower, 583 Orchard Road, #05-02, Singapore, 238884, +65 8911 5056, info@gdi.asia, www.gdi.asia
Founded in 2017, WINGS is Singapore’s first intensive therapy center to offer transformative therapies under the Intensive Model of Therapy (IMOT) framework. Every new patient undergoes a mandatory consultation and assessment, allowing therapists to design an individualized program tailored to each child's needs.
WINGS provides diagnostic and assessment services for developmental delays, postural and structural abnormalities, gait patterns, fine and gross motor skills, physical, speech, and oral development, and progress reports. They also offer seating assessments, equipment consultations, and dynamic orthotic solutions such as TheraTogs and Dynamic Movement Orthoses®. Since their inception, over 6000 babies, children, teenagers, and young adults have benefited from their services, achieving a 70% success rate.
The dedicated and highly trained therapists at WINGS deliver intensive programs to assist individuals with a wide range of conditions, including but not limited to Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delay, Traumatic and Anoxic Brain Injuries, Spina Bifida, Ataxia, Dystonia/Athetosis, Hypertonicity, Hypotonicity, Post-Stroke, Down Syndrome, Genetic Disorders, Metabolic Disorders, Prematurity, Torticollis/Wry Neck, Muscular Dystrophy, Delays in Developmental Milestones, Hypotonia, Hypertonia, Gross Motor Incoordination, Motor Planning Difficulties, Gait Difficulties, Orthotic Concerns, and Neurological Problems.
WINGS Therapy Center, 1 Kay Siang Road, North Tower, #05-01, Singapore 248922, +65 8690 4714, info@wingstherapycenter.com, http://wingstherapycenter.com/
It can be overwhelming for parents of children with special needs to seek the additional help that the child deserves, with the multitude of various services out there. At Annabelle Kids, the AHPC allied health professionals have devised an innovative solution for parents with a multi-disciplinary intake assessment. This approach is conducted by professionals from 3 specialisations – child psychologists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists – to provide a holistic assessment within a single intake session. This alleviates the financial strain and time-consuming nature of assessments for parents while providing thorough recommendations to meet the child's needs.
Annabelle Kids (Thomson), 510 Thomson Road, SLF Building #15-03, Singapore 298135, +65 8189 3820, appointments@akids.sg, www.annabellekids.com
Overwhelmed with understanding your child’s needs and unsure of where to start? Fret not! One-Stop Therapy Centre Ohana Therapy is a holistic clinic that has various expert therapists – speech therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, educational therapists, and more – who can help. Their team uses a series of formal or informal assessments and actively collaborate across disciplines to come up with the best individualised therapy plan for your child. The therapists are well experienced with helping children with a range of diagnoses – including ADHD, ASD, GDD and hearing impairments – so rest assured your child will be in safe hands.
Ohana Therapy, 545 Orchard Road #14-01, Far East Shopping Centre, Singapore 238882, +65 8155 6575, hello@ohanatherapy.sg, ohanatherapy.sg
At RECESS Psychology and Coaching Centre Pte Ltd, skilled educational and clinical psychologists with international expertise offer advanced testing services. Their experience enables them to identify complex and multiple developmental needs, such as autism, and learning challenges, including dyslexia. By staying up-to-date with the latest research and testing tools, RECESS ensures accurate assessments and personalized support for each client.
RECESS Psychology and Coaching Centre Pte Ltd, +65 8858 4153, admin@recesspsychsg.com, www.recesspsychsg.com
Dyslexia is one of the most common learning difficulties that kids face that affects their language development and memory skills. At DAS, students and pre-schoolers can go for assessments to check on their learning needs and what can help improve their condition. This is done via interviews, tests, and discussions on the results together with the kid and their parents. After the assessment, a report will also be provided, together with advice on what steps can be made at home.
Dyslexia Association Of Singapore, 1 Jurong West Central 2, #05-01, Jurong Point, Singapore 648886, +65 6444 5700, www.das.org.sg
Unlike Dyslexia, Autism is based on behavioral symptoms. It affects how kids socially interact with their peers, and their ability to communicate their thoughts well. It’s also noticeable if they have an unusual attachment to certain objects, activities or people. Spectrum Learning uses the brain mapping assessment that measures brain waves, to determine how serious a kid’s condition is. Thereafter, they provide help in the form of therapy and counseling. Learn more about autism here.
Spectrum Learning, 36 Purvis Street, #02-11, Singapore 188613, +65 6690 3257, www.spectrumlearning.com.sg
Sensory assessments are advised for kids that start developing issues related to receiving sensory information from their surroundings. If you notice that they’re easily restless, fidget excessively or have difficulty holding items, it might be time for a consultation. Dynamics Therapy Centre offers a Sensory Regulation Group that helps kids improve their sensory skills through fun activities and be taught how to increase their alertness level with the guidance of teachers.
Dynamics Therapy Centre, 583 Orchard Road, Forum The Shopping Mall Singapore 238884, +65 6100 9235, www.dynamics.com.sg
Whether your child with down syndrome is a toddler or a teenager, the Down Syndrome Association has various programs that will help their motor and cognitive skills. The Infant Toddler Programme will help first-time parents learn the ropes of looking after their kiddo through weekly sessions and home visits for a more hands-on approach. For older kids, the Integration Facilitation Support Programme focuses on their communication and social skills to aid positive relationships.
Down Syndrome Association, Junction 8 (Office Tower), 9 Bishan Place, #09-01, Singapore 579837, +65 6500 9321, www.downsyndrome-singapore.org
If your little one is always distracted and hyperactive, it may be more than just their personality trait. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder found in kids below 12 years old and is commonly realized when they often forget things, fail to follow simple instructions and refuse to stay still. Meeting with an expert at IMH will conclude if your child needs medication to balance brain chemistry, or if parents can adopt methods to improve their kids’ behavior. Find more information about ADHD here.
Institute Of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, +65 6389 2000, www.imh.com.sg
Dyspraxia is a learning disability centered around motor skills and hand-eye coordination. If you suspect your kid is facing such issues during their first few years, it’s best to get it checked out as soon as possible. Ways to identify this is by observing their balancing skills if they can’t perform well in simple games and having difficulty identifying left and right. Therapy Alliance has treatments like Occupational Therapy and Active Play to help them cope.
Therapy Alliance, 60 Paya Lebar Road, #10-35, Paya Lebar Square, Singapore 409051, +65 9328 9612, www.therapyalliance.com.sg
Kids should start talking from the ages of 2-3, but if they don’t, it could be a sign of a language disorder. They might also face challenges when it comes to reading and writing during their childhood years. To help curb this before it worsens, bring them for Speech Therapy at Speech Matters, where they’ll be observed and evaluated by expert therapists to be recommended various programs based on what’s suitable for each individual.
Speech Matters, 15 Scotts Road #09-11, Thong Teck Building, Singapore 228218, +65 6235 9778, speechmatters.com.sg
As compared to dyslexia and language disorder, dyscalculia is the condition whereby there’s difficulty with numbers and calculations. If your tot is struggling with simple math equations consistently for at least 6 months, they could have dyscalculia. At NUH, a psychologist will assess your child’s ability to see how it will affect them in the long run, and adopt a specialized learning method to improve their senses over time.
National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074, +65 6779 5555, www.nuh.com.sg
There are two types of dysgraphia to look out for in your kiddo: language-based and non-language-based. Sometimes, they also occur together with other conditions like ADHD and dyslexia. However, kids with dysgraphia can read fluently, but face difficulty in writing their thoughts. If your kid faces these habits over the years, bring them for an interactive assessment that focuses on areas like Grammar and Comprehension skills, and provides periodic tracking for their progress.
Cognitive Development Learning Centre, Blk 130, Jurong Gateway Road, #04-201 Singapore 600130, +65 6635 8104, cognitive.com.sg
Cerebral Palsy is an incurable disability that affects physical movement. To assist kids in dealing with this challenge, therapy and treatments will help them lead a normal and independent life. Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore has a MOE-approved curriculum that helps kids with cerebral palsy continue learning in both academic and functional areas. The curriculum also includes the Trans-Disciplinary Approach that involves the help of teachers, psychologists, and therapists.
Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore, 65 Pasir Ris Drive 1, Singapore 519529, +65 6585 5600, cpas.org.sg
Anxiety should not be overlooked among children and can be handled better from an early age. If you notice incessant fear and worry from your kid, with symptoms like anxiousness and lack of sleep, bring them for a free consultation with Stress.SG. A professional will help analyze your child’s situation and perhaps recommend follow-up counseling and therapy to help reduce anxiety levels and help parents know how to control it better for their little ones. Understand more about anxiety among kids here.
Stress.SG, #05-01, 7 Straits View, Marina One East Tower, Singapore 018936, +65 9863 9408, https://stress.sg/
Upon enrolling at KidsFirst Early Intervention School, a developmental assessment is completed to identify each child’s individual strengths and areas of need. Their team of Special Education Teachers, Occupational Therapists, and Speech and Language Therapists work together to assess each child’s motor skills, daily living skills, cognitive and social-communication skills. They create individualized education plans (IEP) for each child and review them regularly with families to help monitor developmental gains.
KidsFirst, 8 Hong Kong Street, Singapore 059561, +65 9166 5597, admin@kidsfirst.co, kidsfirst.co
Little Marvels is a multidisciplinary clinic offering everything from Speech Therapy to Occupational Therapy to Counseling, with a dedicated team who assesses, diagnose, and offers intensive early intervention for your child. Little Marvels' experienced psychologists conduct diagnostic assessments that can help support the planning and customization of interventions to provide the best care for your child. They are able to work with schools to provide recommendations on how your child can participate better in exams and school work.
Little Marvels Therapy, Singapore 371 Beach Road, Citygate, #02-51/48, Singapore 199597 +65 8189 1636 littlemarvelstherapy@gmail.com https://littlemarvelstherapy.com
Dinosaur Speech Therapy is team of highly experienced therapists and teachers committed to a child-directed, enjoyable approach. Assessments can be a stressful process for some children but it doesn't have to be that way. The team at Dinosaur Speech Therapy adapts their approach to ensure that the assessment is most representative of your child's actual level. They also work with caregivers on individualized plans to find a solution to help children become independent learners and problem-solvers. Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy assessments are available.
Dinosaur Speech Therapy specializes in the treatment of communication and sensory difficulties associated with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and also have extensive experience with children of all ages with speech delay/disorder, language delay/disorder, social skills/social communication, stuttering, fine/gross motor skills difficulties and sensory processing difficulties among others. Unsure what help your child might need? Book a free non-obligatory consultation to understand their needs better.
Dinosaur Speech Therapy, Interlocal Centre, #01-02, 100G Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118523, +65 8028 8535 (call/WhatsApp), rawr@dinosaurspeechtherapy.sg, www.dinosaurspeechtherapy.sg
Little Steps Asia knows what families need.
Sign up for our email newsletters to get the most out of Asia!
Got kids? Little Steps Asia gives you the scoop on all the things to do and see with babies, toddlers, and kids in Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Jakarta, Macau, and beyond. From family-friendly hotels, kids and baby shops, the best schools and after school activities, pregnancy tips and meet-ups and more – we have you sorted.
Sign up to receive the free Little Steps email newsletter packed with news, offers, and hidden treasures for Singapore families.
© 2025 Little Steps Asia. All rights reserved.
Sign up now for the latest in Hong Kong pregnancy news, monthly updates and more!
"*" indicates required fields