• Was your child recently diagnosed with Autism? 
  

• Are you concerned about getting questions from family members or friends during the holiday season about your child’s recent Autism diagnosis?

 
Typically when someone hears the word Autism there are a lot of questions that come up, from the causes, to what it means for a child when they are diagnosed with it. As a parent who has a child that was recently diagnosed with Autism, it can be difficult to make sense of all the information about Autism.
 
Regardless of any Autism diagnosis, we want our child to be set up for success. During this time of year, questions may come up from concerned family members or friends about our child’s recent Autism diagnosis.
 
I wanted to provide some tips to help you navigate this time as a parent.

If friends or family members bring up your child’s Autism diagnosis during the holidays, do the following:

• Emphasize that a diagnosis of Autism does not take anything away from your child and nothing is “wrong” with your child – your child wants to learn, play, grow, and love – no diagnosis will take this away. 

 

• If friends or family members do express concern or give unsolicited parenting advice they are usually coming from a good place and wanting to help. We can simply tell them “thank you for your input, I am still learning about Autism and how to best support my child, and this process takes time”

 

• Make time for yourself during the busy holidays – let’s be honest the holidays are stressful. As parents we need to focus on our self-care this time of year so we can manage the stresses we may feel. Remember prioritizing your own self-care is not selfish!

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I truly hope you and your friends and family have a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

See you soon!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L

If you are reading this your child may have recently been diagnosed with Autism and there are so many questions and concerns you have. 

I created this resource because I have worked with numerous families who feel overwhelmed, confused, frustrated, scared, and stressed when their child receives a diagnosis of Autism.

If that sounds like you, let me be one of the first to tell you that you are in the right place and everything will be ok. Follow these simple steps to get started:
 
1. Make a list of any questions or concerns you have

• This will help you feel prepared next time your child has any medical appointments to make sure you can get answers to your questions and so you don't forget to ask anything. 
• Having your questions and concerns written down will make it easier to identify what therapies and services your child may benefit from.

2. Look at what Therapies and Services your Insurance Covers 

• Start by familiarizing yourself with what Services and Therapies are available (OT, ST, PT, ABA, etc.) make sure to check out Flow Occupational Therapy's blog where we discuss these different therapies in more details.
  • A​ quick reference resource about typical therapy services provided for children with Autism
  • Info about typical school based therapy services provided for children with Autism
• Once you are familiar with what Services and Therapies your child would benefit from. Start to look at what your insurance plan covers. 

3. If your child is currently enrolled and attending school 

• Reach out to your child's Teacher and School Principal.
• Discuss what Services, Therapies, and Supports your child may benefit from in the school environment to set your child up for success at school. 

 
4. Remember an Autism Diagnosis does not define your child 

• It can be easy to become overwhelmed when our child receives an Autism diagnosis, but remember a diagnosis does not define your child and does not dictate their future. 
• Every child wants to play, grow, learn, and love – a diagnosis does not take this away from them.

 
5. Don't forget your own Self Care as a parent / caregiver

• It is extremely important that parents take care of their own health and well being. - To put it simply, we can't give from an empty cup.
• Look for outlets to deal with any stress or frustration you may be experiencing. - Such as a parenting support group 
• Make time for yourself and make your own self care a Priority - this will ultimately help decrease your stress so you can be present with your child. 

Were you able to follow the steps? What worked best for you?

See you soon!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L

I often get asked questions regarding a child’s specific diagnosis and what it does or does not mean for the child. This is such a good question, and I wanted to further discuss and explain it. A diagnosis can represent a lot of things; for some, it can be a scary and uncomfortable thing which raises a lot of questions and concerns. For others, it can provide some relief and some answers, as it helps us understand why our child may be developing in a certain way, in addition to ways we can help our child. At the end of the day though, a diagnosis is just a term used to help provide some understanding for us; it is not a defining characteristic of the child. When given a diagnosis it can help a child (or adult) by providing them with more resources. For example, some insurance companies will not provide services (Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, etc.) unless a child has a diagnosis. This can be a way for an insurance company to verify that a child does, in fact, need services. Having a diagnosis can also help a child receive more services in the school setting, such as giving them sensory breaks throughout the day and providing them with specific resources and supports so they can better learn and understand the information presented in school. A diagnosis does not define the child and does not dictate their future. 
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There can sometimes be a stigma when a diagnosis is given, and it can cause us to make assumptions and jump to conclusions. For example – My child was diagnosed with ADD so that means they will not be able to sit still and focus in class, and they will get bad grades as a result. Or my child was diagnosed with a Developmental Delay, so they are always going to fall behind their peers. I encourage you to stop yourself if you feel yourself going down this rabbit hole. A diagnosis can help us understand how we can better help our child, but the diagnosis does not necessarily dictate how that child will act, grow, or develop. Simply because everyone is different, they grow and develop in different ways. Regardless of what diagnosis a child has, every child wants to play, grow, learn, and love – a diagnosis does not take this away from them.

Make sure to subscribe to our blog (at the top right of the page), as new blogs are added on a weekly basis.
 
If you have any specific questions or anything you would like me to write about please email me at blog@goflowoccupationaltherapy.com
 
See you soon!
Michael Jankowski, MS, OTR/L