Hearing the words “Your child has been diagnosed with __________________” is usually not the idea of ​​great news to anyone. However, it also doesn’t have to be the worst news you’ll ever receive from your child. You may be feeling any 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 need to learn 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 take to deal with his diagnosis. In my practice, I have identified a few simple steps that can help alleviate some of the stress involved. Of the families that I have counseled with these steps, those that did implement them had far more positive results than those that did not.

Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

1. See the person, not the diagnosis: Your child is the same amazing being they were before the diagnosis. Keeping this in mind first and foremost will allow you to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses. You can then build on his strengths to develop new skills.

2. Educate yourself: Learn as much as you can about your child’s diagnosis. Don’t worry, you won’t have to memorize everything; you just 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 a folder and a hole punch so you can keep paperwork in one place. As the folder begins to fill up, you can organize it by category.

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

with regret,

Damali (teach) Alexander