Planning Life with Autism
Autism.......NOW WHAT?
Now that you have had a few moments to start processing what "autism" might mean to your child and your family, here are a few things to keep in mind as you start your journey.
Network with other parents in your community. Find a local parent group or find others over the internet. They can help insulate you from that feeling of being in this all by yourself. They know about resources and can give you advise. They will understand what you are going through. Click here to find others in your community.
Work to develop a support system. It IS a sign of strength to ask for help. Many times we are such "independent" people that we forget we have folks around us who love us and want to help anyway that they can. These folks are part of your "natural support" system that can support you for your child's lifetime. Spend energy to develop it! Visit our page on accessing your natural resources for more information.
Get to know your child as a person, not as a condition. Trust your instincts about what you see working and not working for your child. Become an expert on your child and develop your own treatment "models" based on what you feel will work for your child and for your entire family. Use the child preference indicator, developed by a parent, to get started thinking about your child's preferences. Get educated on the variety of treatment models. As you start getting educated on treatment models, think long-term to make sure that the approaches you select match with what will work best for your entire family. Read about one parent's perpective on selecting a treatment model. Don't get sucked in "Autism World" but rather think of "Life as your Program."
When considering a "program", think about the following:
- What does this mean for my entire family?
- Does this program support long-term independence for my child?
- Does this support long-term social and emotional development ofALL our children?
- Does this lead to participation in my community for my child andfor our family?
Get educated on the applicable laws, including IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004) and ADA (American's with Disabilities Act). Visit our Education Resources page for more information.
Be gentle with yourself. Take it one day at a time. Take care of yourself. Make sure you are finding some personal time and space. And remember, if you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to help take care of the ones you love.