Newly diagnosed with Autism : things to help

Give yourself time

People react to a diagnosis of autism in different ways.

For some, it’s a relief to find out why they or their child think, feel and act the way they do. For others, it can be a shock.

Try to give yourself time to come to terms with the diagnosis.

Remember:

help and support is available
even if things are hard now, they can get better
you or your child are still the same person as before
autism is not an illness or disease with treatments or a “cure”
autistic people have things they’re good at as well as things they need help with

You might feel alone when you or your child are first diagnosed.

But there are places you can get support.

You can get help from:

Some people find it helpful to find out about other people’s stories of autism.

The charity healthtalk.org has:

You could also search online for autism blogs, videos or books.

Remember, autism is different for everyone. What happened to other people might not be the same for you or your child.

Autism is not an illness. But many autistic people also have other conditions.

These are not always checked for during an autism assessment.

See a GP if you have any concerns about your or your child’s health. They can help you get any extra care you need.

It might help you and your family to find out more about autism.

There can be quite a lot to take in. You do not have to read everything.

You can get trusted information from:

the NHS – for information about what autism is and advice for parents and carers
National Autistic Society – for autistic children and adults, parents and carers
Ambitious about Autism – for autistic children and young people, parents and carers

Page last reviewed: 18 April 2019
Next review due: 18 April 2022