Has your child been recently diagnosed? - Top 6 Practical Tips

Introduction

1) Don't Panic!

2) Read, Read, and Read!

3) Get in touch with the National Autistic Society

4) Make Contact with Other Parents

5) Look into Benefits

6) Look after Yourself

Credit

Introduction

For many parents it can take many months, even years, to finally obtain a diagnosis for their child of Asperger's Syndrome or other Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

But diagnosis is really just the start! I found the diagnosis both to be really scary, and at the same time a huge relief. However, few of us have armies of health workers beating down the door offering help at what can be a really bewildering and very lonely time.

These are my purely personal top 6 tips for practical things to do at this stage. Back to top

1) Don't Panic!

It takes time to to get to grips with this. Don't make decisions in a hurry. Back to top

2) Read, Read, and Read!

If you don't understand what Asperger's is, you won't be able to deal with it.

There's lots of information on the internet, and published books (many of which are referenced elsewhere on this site).

The best book that I know to start off with is Tony Attwood's 'Asperger's Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals' - the writer knows what parents are experiencing, he writes clearly, and covers just about everything you need to know at this stage. Back to top

3) Get in touch with the National Autistic Society

If your child is aged to 8, the Earlybird Schemes may help. The Help! programme is a training course for parents whose children have been diagnosed within the last 12 months. Back to top

4) Make Contact with Other Parents

Hearing stories from other parents can be a huge relief - to know that you are not alone. For me, it was the first time that I realised that other people had been through the same sort of problems, and even found solutions.

You can make these contacts through groups like BAPG, or there are on-line forums, or the NAS helplines (Parent to Parent) can put you in touch with other parents (see Links). Back to top

5) Look into Benefits

There are a range of benefits available to parents and children affected by Asperger's - eg Carer's Allowance and Disability Living Allowance. There's lots of good advice on this at www.krism.org.uk. Back to top

6) Look after Yourself

Your child is probably going to need more support from you than other children - and you need to be in good shape too.

Give yourself permission to be upset, or bewildered, or whatever emotion you feel. Look for support from family, friends and other families with Asperger's. Look for signs of stress (even depression), and be kind to yourself and the people around you. Back to top

Credit

Debra Smith 8 November 2004 Back to top