Your child has just been diagnosed with autism and you’re probably wondering what comes next?
Hearing the word “autism,” may cause you to experience a range of emotions. The thought may overwhelm you. You may wonder what the future holds for your child.
You might even want to wait it out, or make yourself believe that your child might be just a late bloomer, or fear of your child being labeled.
Here are some common reasons why parents deny autism in their children:
1. Social Stigma:
The stigma that society places on autism may follow a child who is diagnosed and have a lasting impact on their life. Thus parents fear getting a diagnosis.
2. Lack of awareness of Autism Disorder:
There is little knowledge about autism. When faced with an autism diagnosis, parents simply refuse to accept it, believing that their child will ‘grow out of’ the condition.
3. Hope
Parents are constantly hoping for a miracle and cure for their child. Parents dismiss the disorder, hoping that it is just a phase in the child’s life that will pass.
How do you get a person out of denial?
1. Breathe
Take a deep breath and stay calm. Know that you are not alone. Your life will not be what you expected. But there will be joy, laughter, hope, and victories to rejoice in.
2. Educate yourself
Read, listen and learn. Read books, talk to other parents who have been through the process, and ask questions. Parents are a wealth of knowledge, and most are eager to share it.
3. Seek help
The best thing you can do as a parent of a child with ASD is to start treatment right away. Seek support as soon as you suspect something is wrong. Don’t wait for your child to catch up or outgrow the problem. Don’t even bother waiting for a formal diagnosis. The earlier children with autism spectrum disorder receive treatment, the better their chances of success.
4. Keep calm and know that this is a process
Accepting autism comes with uncertainty, fear, resistance or grief, hope, love, and the full range of emotions. It involves seeing autism as more than a label and seeing it as an opportunity to learn inclusion and neurodiversity.
Your ASD child will have different needs than neurotypical children. There will be numerous challenges to overcome and battles to wage. However, the journey will be similar in many ways. Life will ebb and flow, push and pull you in a thousand different ways, some of which will be difficult to comprehend. There will always be more questions than answers. And there will always be questions for which there are no answers. There will be highs and lows. There will be periods of extreme highs and extreme lows. But, there will be joy, laughter and love.
Nurture Pods is here to help and support your family if you are ready to begin your Autism journey with a trusted and experienced autism therapy center. Get in touch with us today to learn more!
Written by: Alex Liau
Published on 10 March 2023
