Learning Community : Parents of Autism

Parents of Autism : a learning progression

The possibility that your child might be autistic is just the beginning of the learning process if you are the parents of that child. When the final diagnosis is reached, parents are faced with a wide range of emotions along with a series of questions that need answers. Situations vary as each child has a unique position that falls somewhere along the autism spectrum. One common factor with every diagnosis is the immediate need for knowledge by the parents. Regardless of the age that the child is diagnosed, or their placement on the spectrum, each family grows with and through autism. Parents require precise knowledge surrounding topics that affect their child at specific times in their life. The information and increased responsibility can quickly feel overwhelming for the parents.

Autism is a complex disorder that parents are unexpectedly forced to confront when their child is diagnosed. Due to this complexity, finding thorough information and those who provide it becomes an unneeded burden to collect and locate. It is important that the parents recognize themselves as part of a learning community so that they know they are not alone in this quest for information. Decisions relating to education, medical care, and even common daily routines need to be addressed, and through the connections within their community they can make well-informed choices. The communication with other parents, experts, and family members becomes crucial as they work towards their goal of providing the best life for their child as well as fulfilling a need to understand how they experience the world.