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Newly diagnosed, or still waiting
The beginning is the most overwhelming part, and most of the advice you'll be given arrives in the wrong order. This is the order we'd suggest, and why.
Under age 3, most states offer early intervention without an autism diagnosis. At 3, services usually move to the school district. Here is how both systems work, how to avoid a gap at the birthday, and what to do this week.
You have been handed a diagnosis and a stack of leaflets. Shock, grief, and relief can all show up at once. Most of the to-do list can wait. A small number of things genuinely cannot.
Parents meet confident misinformation early. Here are the claims that come up most, and what the evidence actually supports.
Autism traits show up differently at two, at seven, and at fifteen. Here is what parents and clinicians look for at each stage — drawn from developmental surveillance guidance — and what to do if the pattern is familiar.
Most families wait months, and some wait years. Nearly everything that helps a child does not require an autism diagnosis first.
Autism is a lifelong difference in how a person experiences the world, communicates, and processes information. It is not a disease. Here is what that means day to day — and what to do with the information.