Recent Autism diagnosis for my child and I’m scared

***Always seek professional help for treatment of autism*** General Information

It’s ok to be scared. A Recent Autism diagnosis is new territory and as parents we all want what's best for our child.

3 tips to conquer the fear of your child's recent autism diagnosis

1. All individuals on the spectrum are individuals! There are no 2 just alike. I’ve had parents whom received an diagnosis and were told things like, their child will never talk, they won’t go to school, they’ll never be independent! All of those which proved to be false after intense intervention and treatment. You can't assume your child will turn out a certain way, relax and seek professional help.

2. Get educated on Autism Spectrum Disorder (use google scholar)!

https://scholar.google.com/

3. Begin treatment that’s appropriate for your child asap! Early intervention is essential, The sooner your diagnosis and treatment the greater chances that improvements can be made. The sooner you get help for your child and start working with a professional it will ease your fears.

Don’t be afraid to get the diagnosis because early intervention is important and essential. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paed.2018.06.001)

Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder may include speech therapy, occupational therapy OT, and Applied Behavior Analysis therapy (ABA Therapy) among others. Parents, please do not delay treatment.

A real life example.... if you have been diagnosed with diabetes and it goes untreated it will likely worsen. Autism isn’t diabetes but if diagnosed seek immediate treatment from a professional.

Your child being diagnosed with Autism can be very overwhelming. Parents of children with a recent Autism diagnosis often times struggle to find support and direction of what should be the next steps. I just wanted to share a few tips that I've seen help parents ease the anxiety of the diagnosis. Thank you

Clifford Castille MA BCBA LBA

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