Hearing the words “Your child has been diagnosed with __________________, it is usually not the idea of ​​great news. However, it also does not have to be the worst news you will receive in your child’s life. You may feel something.” combination of emotions, including: guilt, sadness, anger, depression, despair, hopelessness, resentment, loneliness, shock, denial, or having other emotions similar to these The important thing to know is that all of these feelings are NORMAL. Just remember that you must learn to cope with the diagnosis at your own pace.

While this is an incredibly emotional time, it’s vital to create a plan of action and get moving. The hard truth is that much of your child’s progress is directly related to the steps you must take to cope with his diagnosis. In my practice, I have identified some simple steps that can help alleviate some of the stress involved. Of the families that I have mentored with these steps, those who put them into practice had far more positive results than those who didn’t.

Here are the helpful tips to get started:

1. Look at the individual, not the diagnosis: Your child is the same wonderful being he was before the diagnosis. Keeping this in mind first will allow you to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Then you can work from your strengths to develop new skills.

2. Get Informed – Learn all you can about your child’s diagnosis. Don’t worry, you won’t have to memorize everything; you only need to know enough to ask informed questions. This will allow for clearer communication between you and those caring for your child, including doctors and therapists (OT, ABA, SLP, etc.).

3. Become your child’s advocate: You are the expert on your child! There are many components to becoming a great advocate for your child. One of the most important practices would be: KEEP GOOD RECORDS. Starting this practice will save you countless hours and stress in the long run. Get yourself a folder and hole punch so you can keep your paperwork in one place. As the folder begins to fill up, you can organize it by categories.

I sincerely hope these tips help you prepare to go your way. Together, let’s take charge of the future of people with autism or other special needs because if we don’t, who will?

With compassion

Damali (teach) Alexander