Parental Grief and Autism Diagnosis: Reconciling Your Emotions
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Parental Grief and Autism Diagnosis: Reconciling Your Emotions

Not all parents will experience disenfranchised grief following an autism diagnosis. And for those of us that do experience it, we don’t always talk about it. But I think we should. In fact, I would encourage you to talk about it. I would encourage you to acknowledge it. It’s there and it’s real. This is parental grief and the autism diagnosis. And there’s no shame in acknowledging that it happens. For me, it was part of dealing with the initial autism diagnosis. Is It Normal to Feel Parental Grief Over Autism? Honestly, I think this all depends on the individual. Some parents will experience grief and some won’t. And, for that matter, some of us will acknowledge it. Some of us won’t. For me, personally? Acknowledging that…

How to Understand the Autism Diagnosis Process
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How to Understand the Autism Diagnosis Process

If you are just pursuing an autism diagnosis for your child or you are in the beginning stages, here’s how to understand the autism diagnosis process. Be sure to take a look at more of my resources for dealing with the initial diagnosis. Tests and Evaluations for the Autism Diagnosis Process In the last ten years, there have been a multitude of new tests and evaluations for autism spectrum disorder. Some were designed to help with the screening or diagnosis while others were developed for gathering information for individuals already on the spectrum. The ones that I want to talk about are the ones that are most widely and readily available: NAME FORMAT YEAR CREATED Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS) Questionnaire 2001 Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC)…

The Different Signs of Autism in Toddler Boys vs. Toddler Girls
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The Different Signs of Autism in Toddler Boys vs. Toddler Girls

Many young children are not diagnosed with autism until they’re in the toddler stage. It really depends on what you’re looking for with the initial signs of autism and if you’re mindful of the development. I’m not suggesting that all children should be diagnosed, of course. But parents should at least know what to look for. Especially because if you can catch the signs early, you can start therapy early. Early Intervention services were a blessing for us. Sometimes it may also be difficult to discern between a stubborn toddler and an autistic toddler.  After all, when your toddler is in the midst of an epic temper tantrum, we really aren’t going to stop and think- could this be a sign of autism? With an…

Does my child have autism or ADHD?
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Does my child have autism or ADHD?

Autism and ADHD are both neurological disorders. Often, when a child is on the autism spectrum, they may also receive a dual or co-morbid diagnosis of ADHD. Sometimes a child with ADHD may also receive a dual or co-morbid diagnosis of autism. In fact, there are some studies that suggest that up to half of kids on the spectrum, also have ADHD. Both autism and ADHD are also far more common in boys than they are in girls… or, we may just be missing the signs in girls. Often, women are misdiagnosed with anxiety and/or depression before they are diagnosed with ADHD. That was true in my case, anyway. I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 14 but wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD and…

How to Recognize Signs of Autism in Toddlers
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How to Recognize Signs of Autism in Toddlers

Do you have a difficult toddler or is it autism? Is my toddler being stubborn or is it autism?  Those are just two of the questions that a new parent may ask themselves- especially as the number of children being diagnosed with autism continues to rise.  For our family, we at least had an inkling that something could be wrong. It was just one of those gut feelings that we couldn’t quite shake. That something just wasn’t right.  And it was this one glaring thing, this one obvious sign of autism. Those initial signs of autism can be tough! But would you know what to look for when it comes to the early signs of autism in toddlers? How do you determine when it’s just…

The One Thing I Wish Someone had Told Me After My Daughter’s Diagnosis
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The One Thing I Wish Someone had Told Me After My Daughter’s Diagnosis

Following my daughter’s autism diagnosis in 2003, I was a mess. So much had changed, and yet hadn’t changed, after receiving the official statements from her developmental pediatrician. And as much as I could have been in denial, instead I went into some sort of action. Granted, I still didn’t deal with it as best as I could have. There were still things that I could have done better. Looking back, there were a few things that I wish someone would have told me after my daughter’s autism diagnosis. The words I needed to hear after my daughter’s autism diagnosis It’s so simple really, but would have meant so much in the grand scheme of things. Nothing has changed. And yet, it seemed that everything…