Your child has just been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Now what?
Having been where you are, I can safely say you are probably somewhere within the 5 stages of grief:
Denial:
Example - "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening."
Anger:
Example - "Why me? It's not fair!""NO! NO! How can you accept this!"
Bargaining:
Example - "God, if you will just fix this, I'll be a better person."
Depression:
Example - "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die . . . What's the point?"
Acceptance:
Example - "It's going to be OK."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."
You are not alone. Every parent of a child with autism experiences it and it's common to feel any one of them (or several of them) at any given moment; even years after your child has been diagnosed.
First, realize this is a marathon, not a sprint. While early intervention is important, there is no "window" of time that magically closes and there is no more hope. Even adults with autism have been helped with intervention. Having said that, if your child is young, there is evidence to suggest that aggressive early intervention can make a significant difference in the outcome of your child. Regardless of your child's age, you can try any or all the following, under the advise of your child's doctor.
TACA™ (Talk About Curing Autism) has created a wonderful web page for the newly diagnosed: Child Newly Diagnosed With Autism.
Please read this page for suggestions on getting started in your child's treatment.
There are some standard things that most parents with a child on the spectrum do:
- See a DAN!™ doctor, this is someone who specializes in the biomedical treatment of the medical symptoms of autism. You can find a Defeat Autism Now! doctor through the ARI website.
- Implement therapies. Many choose a behavioral program such as ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) but there are others: Verbal Behavior, Floor Time (Dr. Greenspan), play therapy, etc. For young children, it's not uncommon for the parents to implement a 40 hour a week intensive program. To learn more about starting a behavior program, click HERE. Also OT, Sensory Intgegration, PT, speech therapy as needed.
- Gluten-free/Casein-free diet.
TACA™ also has a great New Parent Quick Start checklist to get you started. It's everything I wish someone had told me at the beginning.
You will also need to contact your local Job and Family Services to apply for financial assistance. Check the phone book for your local office. You will be applying for any financial assistance you may qualify for, including county waivers all at one location.
You should also contact the Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH) for assistance with diagnostic costs associated with your child. Here's the link for the Ohio BCMH website.
Other financial assistance may be available. Check our Grants/Financial Assistance page for the latest information.
Another important consideration is support for you while you are dealing with the emotional and financial strains of having a child with a disability. Information on local support groups is available HERE.
Information provided by the Dayton Autism Society is not intended to be medical advice and is provided only as a courtesy to you. Please always check with your physician regarding the appropriate treatment for your child. |
