Reach for the Stars Celebration is April 4!
Buy Tickets

Menu

Donate

Milestones Autism Resources

4853 Galaxy Parkway, Suite A
Warrensville Heights, OH 44128

Phone: (216) 464-7600

Home About Us News In the News

The 'A' Word: Learning Your Child has Autism

Posted April 09, 2018 in Articles

Author: Leslie Rotsky

Once upon a time, my husband and I were afraid to utter the word “autism.” We thought that merely saying the word aloud would make autism a reality for our son, Jacob. Like many parents who suspect or learn their child has autism, we were in denial big time. After denial, we experienced a period of grief. But in time we realized that whether Jacob had autism or not, our goal as parents was to help him reach his fullest potential and live the best life possible. That’s when we rolled up our sleeves and got busy.

Sharing the News
We began telling our families and friends about Jacob’s diagnosis. Some relatives had questions we couldn’t answer. Some friends wanted to help but we didn’t know how or what they could do. Yet, whatever responses we got were almost a relief because they got us openly talking about autism — they got us over the fear of Jacob’s diagnosis. They got us “unstuck” and focused us on beginning to build a support team.

Knowledge is Power
Two seconds after getting Jacob’s diagnosis, we realized that there was no instructional manual that came with it. We were on our own. Scary. My husband and I had zero experience with autism, so we had to begin educating ourselves. We did online research, read articles, sought out parent-friendly websites and support groups, and started attending local autism workshops and Milestones’ conference. The one thing we soon stumbled upon was not knowing what information was trustworthy. Would some therapies offer false hope? Be a waste of money? Maybe even be harmful to Jacob? We quickly learned that we should focus on ‘evidence-based’ strategies and interventions only, as these were backed by studies and reliable research.

Network, Network, Network
In addition to the research we were doing, we also began networking with other families and parents who had children with autism. We found that other parents were extremely willing to help us. We called people on the phone, emailed them, and met for coffee. We asked them and found out about local programs, schools, therapists, tutors, activities and upcoming events. We learned a lot in the parking lot from other moms, dads and grandparents as we waited to pick up Jacob from school. We found parents of older children who could mentor us. We began volunteering at community-wide autism agencies like Milestones, Friendship Circle and Autism Speaks, so we could continue to widen our circle of resources.

Sibling Support
At the time Jacob was getting diagnosed, my daughter Annie was born. From the very beginning, we knew we could either include Annie in Jacob’s care and interventions, or we could exclude her. Thankfully, we decided to include her. At a young age, we talked to her about Jacob’s autism and how he learned differently than she did. As we were learning how to play and communicate with Jacob, she was right there learning with us. Then and now, she is a huge motivating force for her brother, not to mention his best friend.

Divide & Conquer
Raising a child with autism takes all hands on deck. Along the way, my husband and I discovered that we were each good at very different things when it came to Jacob. For example, I could pore over IEP goals and objectives, but that certainly wasn’t my husband’s strong suit. My husband, who is in sales, was very good at talking to Jacob’s teachers and therapists and getting to know them on a personal level. These relationships enabled us to have a stronger, more dedicated team. So, decide how you can best divvy up tasks with your spouse or other members of your support team.

Once upon a time, my husband and I were afraid to utter the word “autism.” Fifteen years later, we are strong advocates for our son and have discovered the joys of raising a child with autism. If we can do it, so can you.

Original Article: https://www.northeastohioparent.com/featured/the-a-word-learning-your-child-has-autism/

2024 Reach for the Stars Celebration THIS SPRING!

THURSDAY, APRIL 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Pinstripes in Beachwood -- benefits our valued free Autism Helpdesk!

Buy Tickets! close

Photo Gallery

1 of 22

Need assistance? Let Milestones be your local guide.

Unsure of where to start? Contact our free Helpdesk with your questions, and we will do the research for you!

Visit milestones.org/helpdesk and complete an intake form.