You have just been given your child's diagnosis: Autism. Whether you know what autism is or not, this may be your first experience with it on such a personal level. You may be asking yourself: "What do I do now?" Here are some first steps.
The first thing you need to do is take a deep breath. Most parents hearing that their child has been diagnosed with any disability, whether it's autism or some other disorder, will be in shock, feeling like they've been kicked in the stomach and their heart ripped out. But you need to remind yourself that your child is the same beautiful person he/she was before the diagnosis, before you ever the word "autism". Only now, you have a name, a direction to go.
Some Things You Should Do:
- Make certain that the determination that your child is autistic was made or verified by a professional who has experience with autism.
- Find out about the nearest good early intervention program. These are usually available through your local Area Education Agency.
- Begin a program of self-education. Parents often need to be experts on this disorder, and with the increase of knowledge, it is getting easier to do that.
- Surround yourself with family and friends who can be a support system for you, so you will be better able to deal with the bumpy path ahead of you.
- Talk to other parents of autistic children. They have gone through what you are now experiencing. You can do this by joining a support group (see Organizations) or an electronic mailing list (see Mailing Lists).
Books
- "Children With Autism: A Parent's Guide" by Michael Powers.
- "A Parent's Guide to Autism" by Charles Hart.
- "Autism Treatment Guide" by Elizabeth K. Gerlach.
- "Let Me Hear Your Voice" Catherine Maurice,
- "There's a Boy in Here" by Judy and Sean Barron.
- "Emergence: Labeled Autistic" is Temple Grandin's autobiography.
Organizations
- Autism Society of America (ASA) http://www.autism-society.org/ It has local and state chapters, so it may help you to find a local support group.
- Autism Treatment Services of Canada http://www.autism.ca/ They offer information and Consultation/Outreach Services and more.
- National Autistic Society (of Great Britain) http://www.oneworld.org/autism_uk/ They offer information and support services.
- The Autism Research Institute (ARI) http://www.autism.com/ari/ is another organization of value, which includes publications.
Mailing Lists
- The AUTISM mailing list: Put "subscribe autism Firstname Lastname" (i.e., with your first name and last name) in the body of an e-mail message to LISTSERV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU Once you are subscribed, send messages to AUTISM@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
- PSP (Parenting Supporting Parents) Put "subscribe psp Firstname Lastname" (i.e., with your first name and last name) in the body of an e-mail message to LISTSERV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU Once you are subscribed, send messages to PSP@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
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