Receiving an autism diagnosis for your child can bring a mix of emotions and a lot of new questions. At first, you will feel relieved that you have found answers to many questions about how your child is different from others, but then you will be left with other questions.
There is no single path every family needs to follow after an autism diagnosis. Your next steps will depend on your child’s age, strengths, communication style, daily needs, school setting, and family priorities.
The only thing that really counts is taking things slowly and doing whatever is needed for your child and your family now.
Start by Reviewing the Evaluation
After an autism evaluation, families usually receive a report explaining the findings and recommendations.
It is important to take the time to review the document. Some portions may seem easy to understand, whereas others may not.
You may want to look for information about:
- Communication
- Social interaction
- Play
- Daily living skills
- Sensory differences
- Learning
- Behavior
- Safety
- School participation
- Recommended therapies or services
If something in the report is unclear, ask the provider who completed the evaluation to explain it in everyday language.
It can also help to write down questions before a follow-up appointment so you do not feel pressured to remember everything at once.
Find Out the Implications of the Diagnosis for Your Child
Autism takes many forms.
Some children will use full sentences, but be challenged when it comes to communication, flexibility, and social situations. Others will use gestures, picture boards, sign language, or assistive technology for communication. Some children may require assistance with everything that they do throughout the day, whereas others only require help in a few areas.
Diagnosis helps you understand development patterns; however, it cannot determine your child’s character, interests, abilities, or future.
Focus on your child’s individual strengths and needs rather than comparing their development with another child’s.
Talk With Your Child’s Pediatrician
Your child’s pediatrician can help you make sense of recommendations and identify which referrals may be appropriate.
Depending on your child’s needs, the pediatrician may recommend:
- Speech therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- ABA therapy
- Developmental specialists
- Hearing or vision testing
- Other medical or behavioral health services
You do not need to begin every recommended service at the same time. It can be more manageable to identify the areas that are having the greatest effect on your child’s daily life and begin there.
Consider Early Intervention Services
If your child is very young, early intervention programs can provide developmental services based on their individual needs.
Services may focus on communication, movement, play, social development, daily routines, or other areas where additional help could be useful.
Parents often play an active role in early intervention. Providers may show families ways to practice developing skills during meals, play, dressing, outings, and other everyday routines.
You may be able to begin some services without waiting for every other evaluation or recommendation to be completed.
Look Into School-Based Services
If your child attends preschool or school, the next step may include talking with the school district about an evaluation or existing educational services.
The diagnosis of autism does not mean that the kind of services that a child can get from a school are predetermined. What happens is that the school assesses whether or not the child needs additional support to participate and learn.
Depending on your child’s needs, school-based services may involve:
- Speech and language services
- Occupational therapy
- Classroom accommodations
- Behavioral support
- Social skills instruction
- Specialized instruction
- Visual schedules
- Additional help with transitions
- Staff consultation
If your child already has an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, you can share the new evaluation with the school team and discuss whether any changes should be considered.
Explore ABA Therapy
Applied behavior analysis, or ABA therapy, is one option some families consider after an autism diagnosis.
ABA therapy uses individualized teaching, practice, and positive reinforcement to help children build useful skills.
Depending on the child, therapy may focus on:
- Communicating wants and needs
- Asking for help
- Following everyday routines
- Managing transitions
- Playing independently or with others
- Participating in school or daycare
- Building self-care skills
- Responding more safely
- Becoming more independent
A good ABA program should begin with an assessment rather than assuming that every autistic child needs the same type or amount of therapy.
The treatment plan should reflect your child’s strengths, interests, communication style, daily routines, and family priorities.
Ask Questions Before Choosing a Provider
Families may be given several therapy recommendations after a diagnosis, and choosing providers can feel overwhelming.
Before starting services, ask questions about how care is provided.
You may want to ask:
- Who will work directly with my child?
- Who supervises the treatment plan?
- How are therapy goals selected?
- How will progress be measured?
- How often will the plan be reviewed?
- How are parents involved?
- What happens if a strategy is not helping?
- Can therapy address skills that matter at home or school?
- How does the team respond to sensory or communication differences?
- How are harmless autistic traits treated?
The answers can help you understand whether the provider’s approach fits your child and family.
Check Your Insurance Coverage
Insurance can affect which providers are available, which services require authorization, and how many therapy hours are covered.
Before beginning services, ask your insurance company or provider about:
- In-network providers
- Referral requirements
- Prior authorization
- Copays or deductibles
- Assessment coverage
- Therapy coverage
- Reauthorization requirements
Many ABA providers help families verify benefits and complete parts of the authorization process.
It can still be helpful to keep copies of evaluation reports, insurance letters, treatment plans, and authorization documents in one place.
Decide Which Needs to Address First
After a diagnosis, it can feel like everything needs attention immediately.
Usually, that is not necessary.
Start with the areas that have the greatest effect on your child’s comfort, safety, communication, and everyday participation.
For one family, that might mean helping a child communicate basic needs. For another, it may mean working on feeding, sleep, transitions, toileting, school participation, or safety.
Priorities can change over time. A skill that feels urgent now may become less important later, while a new need may appear as your child grows.
Keep Track of What You Notice
You do not need to become a therapist to help your child.
Simply paying attention to patterns can provide useful information.
You may want to keep notes about:
- New skills
- Difficult routines
- Changes in communication
- Sensory preferences
- Sleep
- Eating
- School experiences
- Behaviors that seem connected to certain situations
- Strategies that seem helpful
- Questions for providers
These notes can make appointments more productive and help different members of your child’s care team understand what is happening outside of therapy.
Give Yourself Time to Learn
Families are often introduced to a large amount of new terminology after an autism diagnosis.
You may suddenly hear terms such as:
- BCBA
- RBT
- IEP
- FBA
- AAC
- Early intervention
- Occupational therapy
- Speech-language pathology
- Sensory processing
You do not need to learn everything at once.
Ask providers to explain unfamiliar terms, write things down, and revisit information when you are ready.
A strong care team should be willing to explain recommendations without making you feel rushed.
Include Your Child’s Strengths in the Conversation
After a diagnosis, appointments can quickly become focused on what a child finds difficult.
It is just as important to talk about what your child enjoys and does well.
That may include:
- Favorite toys or activities
- Strong memory
- Humor
- Music
- Numbers
- Movement
- Art
- Animals
- Reading
- Building
- Technology
- Affection
- Curiosity
Strengths and interests can become useful parts of teaching and connection.
Therapy should not be built only around reducing difficulties. It should also help the child participate more fully in the activities and relationships that matter to them.
Remember That Progress Can Look Different
Progress after an autism diagnosis does not follow one timeline.
One child may begin communicating more independently. Another may become more comfortable with transitions. A third may learn part of a self-care routine or participate in a classroom activity for longer.
Some skills develop quickly, while others take more time and practice.
Providers should review progress regularly and change the plan when an approach is not helping.
Your Next Step Does Not Have to Be Perfect
You do not need to have every appointment scheduled, every therapy selected, and every future decision made immediately after an autism diagnosis.
Start with the information you have now.
Review the evaluation. Ask questions. Talk with your child’s pediatrician. Learn about available services. Then decide which next step makes the most sense for your family.
Hand Over Hand provides individualized ABA therapy through integrated ABA Centers, home and daycare services, school consultation, social skills development, and parent guidance.
Our team takes time to learn about your child’s strengths, needs, routines, and family priorities before making treatment recommendations.
Contact Hand Over Hand today to learn more about ABA therapy and what the intake process looks like after an autism diagnosis.
