As diagnosis delays continue to leave families in limbo, a new AI-powered app is stepping in to offer practical guidance and hope to parents seeking answers.
A new app called Hazel, developed by Bristol-based company Spicy Minds, offers parents a powerful tool to understand better and support their neurodivergent children while waiting for formal diagnoses. Using AI, the app runs a series of tests and then provides personalised strategies tailored to everyday challenges like school routines or holidays.
While it doesn’t replace a medical diagnosis, Hazel aims to fill a critical gap for families stuck in long waiting queues. Spicy Minds CEO Ben Cosh emphasised the need for quicker support, noting that many families wait years before receiving an autism diagnosis through the UK’s NHS.
‘Parents shouldn’t have to wait years to understand their child’s needs and get practical support,’ he said.
In Bristol alone, around 7,000 children are currently on waiting lists for an autism assessment, a number that continues to rise. Parents like Nicola Bennett, who waited five years for her son’s diagnosis, believe the app could be life-changing.
She praised Hazel for offering real-time guidance for managing sensory needs and daily planning—tools she wished she’d had much earlier. She also suggested integrating links to local support groups and services to make the app even more impactful.
By helping reduce stress and giving families a head start on understanding neurodiversity, Hazel represents a meaningful step toward more accessible, tech-driven support for parents navigating a complex and often delayed healthcare system.
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