When your child is newly diagnosed with autism, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and unprepared for the road that lies ahead. Take a deep breath – it’s equally important to take care of your own mental and physical health during this time. Your child will need you to be happy and healthy now more than ever as you and your family navigate this journey together! It’s also important to understand that navigating and adapting to an ASD diagnosis is not a sprint – it is a lifelong journey. You don’t have to know all the answers right away, and you don’t have to become an overnight expert! Rest assured that although you may not feel like the perfect parent, you are the exact parent your child needs.
Parent Resources
While it’s best not to overload yourself with information all at once, there are a number of ways to ready yourself and your child for life on the spectrum. These resources can help you feel more prepared and less alone.
Join a parenting with autism group. Whether the group is online (check out Facebook for local or worldwide ASD parent support groups!) or locally-based, it can be helpful and comforting to know that you are not alone in your child’s diagnosis. Other parents have been where you are, and they remember those early days after diagnosis. They can be an invaluable resource when it comes to adjusting to your child’s diagnosis, finding resources and services, and dealing with specific behaviors or situations. You’ll also find other parents who are in the same boat of a new diagnosis. Having another parent to lean on and relate to can be good for the soul. A supportive community is crucial to your own wellbeing! Here are two well known groups to look at:
Spectrum Autism Support Group offers resources, education, and support for families and individuals affected by autism. This group serves families in metropolitan Atlanta, providing family events, community training, respite, social skill-focused groups, overnight camps, day camps in the summer, and support groups for people of any ability or age.
Parent to Parent of Georgia provides a number of services and resources to families in Georgia affected by special needs or disabilities. They aim to bring leadership development, education, information, and support to individuals with special healthcare needs or disabilities under the age of 26, along with the families of those individuals.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You aren’t in this alone. Your friends and family have been by your side throughout life, and they’ll be there to support you and your family through this new frontier. There will be times when you feel like you’re spread too thin. There might be times when you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or unprepared. During those times, rely on your support system. They’ll also be by your side when you celebrate your child’s many victories, accomplishments, and milestones! It’s always okay to ask for help. “Life isn’t meant to be lived alone.” -Adam Silvera
Find reliable, trustworthy resources to answer your initial questions and address your concerns. The Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit for Newly Diagnosed Families is an excellent tool for the families of newly diagnosed children. It provides information, facts, and resources. Autism Speaks is one of many incredible organizations that provides support and information for families with children on the spectrum. Autism Speaks also offers guides to support friends, grandparents, siblings, and parents through their family member or friend’s new diagnosis.
First Steps
Respond positively to your child’s diagnosis.
Your child looks to you for support, and he or she is likely to be scared when they hear a diagnosis that they don’t understand. However, an autism diagnosis can be positive in a number of ways. Prior to diagnosis, it’s likely that you were dealing with many challenges and confusing behaviors. You probably found yourself lost and uncertain when it came to disciplining and correcting your child. You may have also felt like nobody understood your specific problems. With an ASD diagnosis, a world of possibilities and resources awaits. With a diagnosis, your child can obtain and leverage a variety of services and therapies. Looking on the bright side is an important part of navigating a new autism diagnosis!
Educate yourself and your other family members.
There’s a lot to know about autism, and it can be a tall order to absorb all the right information. The Autism Speaks Resource Guide is a great place to start. It provides you with many resources for advocacy, education, health, safety, education, support, and treatment. Your child is likely to have his or her own individual challenges and differences, and it’s essential that you and your family become experts in addressing and adjusting to those little idiosyncrasies. Slowly, you’ll learn more about autism, your child’s specific needs, and what works best for your family. Education can help you and your child feel more equipped for life on the spectrum. Frequent, loving, early involvement of the family is one of the most beneficial ways to support a child through an ASD diagnosis.
Start treatment as soon as possible.
The earlier your child gets help, the greater his or her chances of successful treatment. Early intervention is helpful for the child’s development, progress, and symptom management.
Help your child feel accepted and loved.
This probably goes without saying, but the most important treatment for a child on the spectrum is love! You’ll be the one advocating for your child, coming up with ways to help him or her cope with diagnosis and deal with challenges, and deciding what’s best when it comes to therapies and services. It’s normal to feel sad that your child has to overcome these unexpected challenges. However, your child has many unique, lovable quirks and qualities that are easy to embrace!
Provide your child with safety, consistency, and structure.
Children with autism often have favorite toys or objects, and they thrive on routines. They may only accept a limited number of foods, and they might require extra supervision. Use positive reinforcement, be consistent and dependable, and create a private space for the child to relax and feel safe.
Hang in there!
As mentioned above, there will be times when you feel completely overwhelmed and exhausted. However, there will also be days when your child has a great day in therapy, reaches a new goal, or takes a tiny step toward independence. Those days will make the hard ones worthwhile!
When you follow these initial steps, your child’s diagnosis will feel a little less daunting, and you’ll feel more prepared for the days ahead. Just remember, autism affects 1 in 54 children in the United States. Your child isn’t alone, and neither are you!
Tips for Parents
When your child is newly diagnosed with autism, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and unprepared for the road that lies ahead. Take a deep breath – it’s equally important to take care of your own mental and physical health during this time. Your child will need you to be happy and healthy now more than ever as you and your family navigate this journey together! It’s also important to understand that navigating and adapting to an ASD diagnosis is not a sprint – it is a lifelong journey. You don’t have to know all the answers right away, and you don’t have to become an overnight expert! Rest assured that although you may not feel like the perfect parent, you are the exact parent your child needs.
Parent Resources
While it’s best not to overload yourself with information all at once, there are a number of ways to ready yourself and your child for life on the spectrum. These resources can help you feel more prepared and less alone.
Join a parenting with autism group. Whether the group is online (check out Facebook for local or worldwide ASD parent support groups!) or locally-based, it can be helpful and comforting to know that you are not alone in your child’s diagnosis. Other parents have been where you are, and they remember those early days after diagnosis. They can be an invaluable resource when it comes to adjusting to your child’s diagnosis, finding resources and services, and dealing with specific behaviors or situations. You’ll also find other parents who are in the same boat of a new diagnosis. Having another parent to lean on and relate to can be good for the soul. A supportive community is crucial to your own wellbeing! Here are two well known groups to look at:
Spectrum Autism Support Group offers resources, education, and support for families and individuals affected by autism. This group serves families in metropolitan Atlanta, providing family events, community training, respite, social skill-focused groups, overnight camps, day camps in the summer, and support groups for people of any ability or age.
Parent to Parent of Georgia provides a number of services and resources to families in Georgia affected by special needs or disabilities. They aim to bring leadership development, education, information, and support to individuals with special healthcare needs or disabilities under the age of 26, along with the families of those individuals.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You aren’t in this alone. Your friends and family have been by your side throughout life, and they’ll be there to support you and your family through this new frontier. There will be times when you feel like you’re spread too thin. There might be times when you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or unprepared. During those times, rely on your support system. They’ll also be by your side when you celebrate your child’s many victories, accomplishments, and milestones! It’s always okay to ask for help. “Life isn’t meant to be lived alone.” -Adam Silvera
Find reliable, trustworthy resources to answer your initial questions and address your concerns. The Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit for Newly Diagnosed Families is an excellent tool for the families of newly diagnosed children. It provides information, facts, and resources. Autism Speaks is one of many incredible organizations that provides support and information for families with children on the spectrum. Autism Speaks also offers guides to support friends, grandparents, siblings, and parents through their family member or friend’s new diagnosis.
First Steps
Respond positively to your child’s diagnosis.
Your child looks to you for support, and he or she is likely to be scared when they hear a diagnosis that they don’t understand. However, an autism diagnosis can be positive in a number of ways. Prior to diagnosis, it’s likely that you were dealing with many challenges and confusing behaviors. You probably found yourself lost and uncertain when it came to disciplining and correcting your child. You may have also felt like nobody understood your specific problems. With an ASD diagnosis, a world of possibilities and resources awaits. With a diagnosis, your child can obtain and leverage a variety of services and therapies. Looking on the bright side is an important part of navigating a new autism diagnosis!
Educate yourself and your other family members.
There’s a lot to know about autism, and it can be a tall order to absorb all the right information. The Autism Speaks Resource Guide is a great place to start. It provides you with many resources for advocacy, education, health, safety, education, support, and treatment. Your child is likely to have his or her own individual challenges and differences, and it’s essential that you and your family become experts in addressing and adjusting to those little idiosyncrasies. Slowly, you’ll learn more about autism, your child’s specific needs, and what works best for your family. Education can help you and your child feel more equipped for life on the spectrum. Frequent, loving, early involvement of the family is one of the most beneficial ways to support a child through an ASD diagnosis.
Start treatment as soon as possible.
The earlier your child gets help, the greater his or her chances of successful treatment. Early intervention is helpful for the child’s development, progress, and symptom management.
Help your child feel accepted and loved.
This probably goes without saying, but the most important treatment for a child on the spectrum is love! You’ll be the one advocating for your child, coming up with ways to help him or her cope with diagnosis and deal with challenges, and deciding what’s best when it comes to therapies and services. It’s normal to feel sad that your child has to overcome these unexpected challenges. However, your child has many unique, lovable quirks and qualities that are easy to embrace!
Provide your child with safety, consistency, and structure.
Children with autism often have favorite toys or objects, and they thrive on routines. They may only accept a limited number of foods, and they might require extra supervision. Use positive reinforcement, be consistent and dependable, and create a private space for the child to relax and feel safe.
Hang in there!
As mentioned above, there will be times when you feel completely overwhelmed and exhausted. However, there will also be days when your child has a great day in therapy, reaches a new goal, or takes a tiny step toward independence. Those days will make the hard ones worthwhile!
When you follow these initial steps, your child’s diagnosis will feel a little less daunting, and you’ll feel more prepared for the days ahead. Just remember, autism affects 1 in 54 children in the United States. Your child isn’t alone, and neither are you!
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