Autism spectrum disorder diagnoses are made by licensed medical or mental health professionals. These may include pediatricians, neurologists, psychologists and psychiatrists. Evaluation teams may also include speech-and-language pathologists (SLPs) and occupational therapists (OTs).

This article from Child Mind shares more on the diagnosis process. This guide can also help families who want to prepare for a diagnosis appointment.

With autism diagnoses on the rise, many providers have waiting lists for diagnosis and services. Our guide to thriving on the waitlist has things you can do to support your child and improve the chances of them getting help sooner.

Families who are concerned about school should start with the School Resource Guide. This guide includes red flags, solutions and frequently-asked questions.

Sometimes autistic children need more support than public schools can offer. When this happens, parents may choose to enroll their child at a specialized school. In some cases, the IEP team may also suggest a district placement.

Specialized/Autism Schools
There is a wide range of specialized schools for children with disabilities. Some focus on specific diagnoses (like learning disabilities or autism) while others welcome different types of learners. Schools may also offer different levels of support, so it’s important to understand what your child needs before starting your search.

Our guide to choosing a school can help you think through important questions. When you’re ready, Ask Us and we’ll help you find schools that are a good fit!

District Placement
District placement happens when the IEP team agrees that a child needs more support than their home school district can offer. This is a change to the child’s least restrictive environment, and is often a last resort.

When an IEP team decides on a district placement, parents may be offered a list of schools to explore. Our Family Resource Specialist (FRS) Team can help you think through your options and plan. To learn more, Ask Us.

First of all, know that you’re not alone. Kids with autism or other developmental disabilities often struggle with challenging behaviors. According to Dr. Ross Greene, a leading child psychologist, this is because the kids have not yet developed the skills to do better.

Some families help their children to do better by providing support for them. Our Behavior Resource Guide is a great place to learn about the different ways to support your child.

Dealing with challenging behaviors can be hard, so it’s also important to care for yourself. Connecting for Kids offers support programs, or you can learn coping strategies on your own with this guide.

Autistic people can struggle in social situations. One theory about this is called “double empathy.” This theory says that there is a mismatch between the ways autistic and non-autistic people see things. To learn more about why there is a mismatch, check out this podcast.

The mismatch can lead to communication problems and make it hard to connect. Some families use direct training, social skills groups or inclusive play to help their child learn and practice social rules. This can help make the mismatch smaller.

Direct Social Skills Training (help choosing a therapist or mental health provider)

• Usually 1:1 or 1:2 
• Offered by speech-language pathologists (SLP) or mental health providers 
• May be covered by insurance 
• Teaches rules, but does not offer as many practice opportunities

Social Skills Groups (help choosing a group)

• A group of people (usually 5-7) with similar ages/challenges 
• Offered by SLPs or mental health providers 
• Usually private pay, by session 
• Teaches rules with opportunities to practice in a structured way

Inclusive Play

• Includes sports, arts, STEM groups or playgroups of varying sizes 
• May be private pay, accept family support funding or free 
• Does not teach rules but offers “safe” opportunities to practice skills

You can find providers in our directory or Ask Us for a list of options near you.