Ten things you wish you knew when your child was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder - A thread. #autism
There is a huge community of parents of children with #SEND. Wether it be Facebook groups, Instgram or twitter. Find your tribe. 1/
Parenting courses aimed at children with #SEND...Please attend them! They are not there to tell you how to parent or imply you can’t. They are there to help. Here you will meet others who know exactly how you feel and it’s here you will find out you are not crazy! 2/
Find autistic adults. Listen to them, learn from them. No one can give you a better insight than them. 3/
Your child will do things in their own time and always when you least expect it. These moments will come and they will be magical. 4/
The sleep deprivation similar to that experienced when you have a new born baby will last for years. Enjoy every 2am cuddle because one day they will sleep through...
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Repetition works. At times you may think it doesn’t. But it does. Just as you are about to give up holding the toy car up and saying “car” for the 1000th time this year, they say “car.” 6/
There is something for everything...Sensory friendly clothing, weighted blankets, chew toys, compression blankets, wobble cushions...the list is endless 7/
Never wait for the phone call back or assume it will come. Call back. Photocopy everything. Buy some folders...or better still, a filing cabnit (your going to need it!) 8/
Never second guess yourself. 9/
There is help out there but your going to have to dig for it!...(this is where the tribe are invaluable) 10/
Be kind to yourself. You are doing an amazing job! One that others couldn’t begin to comprehend. (It also happens to be the best job in the world)
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