Getting an ASD diagnosis for a child can be a terrible ordeal.  Parents feel completely at sea and often tend to blame themselves, from rethinking the food they feed their child to what you ate and thought about during the pregnancy. We know, because we’ve been through it. So let us make this clear, YOU AND YOUR PARTNER DID NOT DO THIS. It has nothing to do with how much you loved and cuddled your child or how strict or lenient you were with them. The Medical community is only now beginning to understand that there are subtypes of Autism, that though there does not appear to be one single cause, there are several genetic and environmental factors which seem to contribute, none of which parents could have controlled.

The next thing we want to tell you is that you are not alone. 1 in 150 children all over the world are being diagnosed from Autism, in the US these numbers have risen upto 1 in 59.  Awareness and social acceptance for those on the spectrum is on the rise, but there is still a long way to go. Thankfully, autism treatments have come a long way and many children, if diagnosed early enough, overcome the challenges posed by it. Raising a child with autism can be challenging, but with access to the right resources, parents can make choices for their child that can make substantial improvement to the quality of life. 

At the very outset we would like to tell you, your child can improve, but this change will not come easy. Parents must spend a lot of the time with the child not just in an effort to increase social interaction, but as they need to take the child for treatment, therapy, counseling, intervention program, school, etc. Many parents,  mothers particularly, end up quitting their jobs to become full time caregivers for their child. A lot of change is needed at home, siblings must be taught to accommodate their siblings eccentricities and adapt their life around their special brother/ sister, family activities and plans are made keeping the child’s interest in mind. But, IT IS WORTH IT!