This hub is designed to empower you with the knowledge, tools, and support systems necessary to navigate these first critical steps with confidence. Whether you’re looking for trusted research, practical at-home tools, or guidance on therapy options, you’ll find everything organized here in one place.
“Receiving an autism diagnosis for your child is a profound moment of change. It is not the end of a journey, but the beginning of a new one, filled with unique learning and growth for your entire family.”
Get a Clear Understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Including what it means, how it may present, and why early support matters.
Learn How to Evaluate Treatment Options With Confidence
with practical red flags to watch for when researching therapy options.
Explore Trusted Links, Books, and Free Downloads
Including research organizations, parent communities, and printable social stories you can use at home.
Step 1: Understanding ASD
In the DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder is defined as: “persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction.” Many who receive an ASD diagnosis display “restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviors, activities or interests” that may “limit and impair everyday functioning.”
In other words, ASD is a neurodevelopment disorder typically diagnosed in children who display difficulties with communication and social interactions. Children may struggle to make eye contact, have an unusual tone of voice, or become overstimulated in a new environment. While autism can be diagnosed at any age, the symptoms of ASD typically appear within the first two years of life.
While researchers are still investigating the primary causes of ASD, there are several contributing factors. A child is more likely to be diagnosed with ASD if they have one or more of the following:
Treatment for ASD should start soon after receiving a diagnosis. No two children with ASD are alike, and it’s imperative to find the right treatment for your child. However, some treatments can be detrimental or promise unrealistic outcomes. In the next section, we’ll review these treatments and how to identify them.
Step 2: Understanding the Debate Around Treatment
All parents want their children to lead happy, fulfilling lives. When a child is diagnosed with ASD, many caretakers rush to find the best available treatment. Unfortunately, many fall victim to non-evidence-based treatments.
Non-evidence-based treatments lack scientific support. Simply put, these treatments do not appear in scientific journals or do not show measurable improvements in targeted areas. Such treatments include holding therapy, horseback riding therapy, and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. When researching treatments for your child, keep an eye out for the following:
Before your child starts therapy, ask your healthcare provider if the treatment is 1) proven to be safe and effective in scientific studies or 2) appears in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Parents can also use search engines such as Google Scholar to read studies for free.
Step 3: ABA Therapy Overview
What is ABA Therapy? Applied behavioral analysis, also known as ABA Therapy, uses evidence-based interventions to improve the lives of children with autism. ABA Therapy focuses on how children with autism function and how therapists can help them adapt to new situations or environments. By using positive reinforcement, environmental arrangements/supports, and an individualized care plan, ABA therapists assist children in the transition from private to public settings.
With the right care plan and team, children with autism demonstrate improvement in the following areas:
In a 2022 study, 66% – 83% of children showed improvement in emotional, adaptive, problem-solving, social, language, and cognitive behavior after 1-2 years of ABA therapy alone. 4 Many children saw improvements while attending 20 – 40 hour a week programs.
An outstanding ABA program provides the following services to children and their families:
Step 4: Self-Care and Support
Taking care of a child with autism can be time-consuming and overwhelming. If your child is diagnosed with autism, this can add several hoops to jump through to ensure your child has the proper support across different environments. It may lead to caregiver burnout: a stage of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion when caring for another’s well-being. As parents help their children navigate the world around them, they must look after their own physical and mental health.
Anyone who’s flown has heard the saying: “Should an emergency situation occur, you need to put your own oxygen mask on first, before attempting to help those around you.” Why is this an important rule for survival? If you run out of oxygen, you can’t help anyone else with their oxygen mask. Put simply: if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of your child.
For many parents of autistic children, self-care can feel extraneous or out of reach. Below, we’ve compiled a list of self-care tips and tricks for busy parents:
If you’re looking to secure resources for your child, the first step is to call your insurance provider. An insurance agent will tell you the maximum benefits your child will receive. The second step is to research your state’s autism mandate. An autism mandate requires certain programs to cover the diagnosis and treatment of an autistic individual. Please keep in mind that each state has its own version of the autism mandate. For example, therapies covered in Georgia may not be covered in Texas. The Beirman Autism Center has compiled a short description of each state’s autism mandate.
After you and your pediatrician identify the perfect facility for your child, your child might be put on a waiting list. Due to the ever-increasing demand for services, many children with autism will spend months waiting for services. To minimize waiting time, putting your child on multiple waiting lists may be necessary.
Step 5: ducating the Family About ASD
As your child grows, you might worry about explaining their ASD diagnosis. Perhaps you think that labeling your child will discourage them or make them feel isolated. However, informing your child will give them a better understanding and motivate them to overcome challenges in their daily life.
After your child receives an ASD diagnosis, consider informing them as soon as possible! While some parents may choose to wait, children with an autism spectrum diagnosis should have the chance to understand, accept, and appreciate their uniqueness by receiving an age-appropriate explanation of their ASD.
As your child grows, they may ask questions, such as “Why am I different?” or “Why can’t I be like everybody else?” Telling your child about their ASD diagnosis will reduce these difficult questions. Below, we’ve compiled several tips to explain autism spectrum disorder to your child:
When speaking to family members about your child’s diagnosis, follow a similar pattern. Explain the basics, emphasize the behaviors associated with ASD, and be positive. Remember that others’ reactions are outside your control – and the only thing that matters is your child’s happiness.
We have compiled various resources to try and assist you regarding your child and how our approach may assist. Of course, for any additional information, feel free to contact the location nearest you.
For children with autism, practicing different life skills is important to establish independence. Whether it’s at home, at school, or in a new environment, your child will need a wide range of skills to adapt to different situations. By introducing these skills in their formative years, children with ASD will gain tools that increase their self-esteem and independence.
To help your child, we’ve compiled a list of free resources that focus on social skills, motor skills, and more! These resources can be downloaded as a PDF or read on a tablet/phone. Check back often – we’re always adding new resources!
Social Stories, first developed by special education teacher Carol Grey in 1989, help children with ASD absorb new information in a child-friendly format. Using bright colors and fun images, social stories “fill in the blanks” of social interactions that many people take for granted.
The goal of social stories is to help children adapt to new environments. Across several studies, social stories have been shown to improve social communication, conversational skills, and on-task behavior. The below are general social stories!
The below are general printable resources to aid you at home, and cover a variety of themes.
Instructions for use are included – just download and print!
Social Stories, first developed by special education teacher Carol Grey in 1989, help children with ASD absorb new information in a child-friendly format. Using bright colors and fun images, social stories “fill in the blanks” of social interactions that many people take for granted.
The goal of social stories is to help children adapt to new environments. Across several studies, social stories have been shown to improve social communication, conversational skills, and on-task behavior.
The below are holiday-themed social stories!
No matter what holiday you celebrate, we want you to be prepared! Below are a list of additional downloads you can print and enjoy with your child, from coloring books to cutout cards.
Download below!
We can help you understand options, insurance, and how to get started with an evaluation.
Choosing an ABA clinic for your child isn’t something most parents ever imagined they would have to do. And yet,
Your home is your child’s primary learning environment. Although your child may spend a majority of some days in other
Building Replicable Systems Without Losing Quality In healthcare franchising, replicability is often the goal. But for us at Essential Speech
Getting Started Is Simple
First, simply contact the location nearest you. Have all the important information for your child ready, including name, date of birth, diagnosis, physician information, insurance information, and therapy history.
Then, come in to meet our treatment team to complete an evaluation. A full treatment program will be developed, designed entirely around your child’s needs.
Once the plan is approved by insurance and you pick a start date, we can begin getting your child in-facility and get to work!
