When a child is diagnosed with a developmental disorder such as ASD, you may feel many emotions.\u00a0 Some parents may feel relieved and validated. Finally, they have answers to the many concerns and differences that they’ve noticed in their child’s development. Other parents may feel grief that their child\u2019s life may not progress in the way that they had originally dreamed of or imagined.\u00a0 Still other parents may feel anger, fear, worry, surprise, confusion or overwhelm.\u00a0 You may also experience a confusing mix of conflicting emotions that vary by the week, day, or even hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no one \u201cright\u201d or \u201cwrong\u201d way to react to a diagnosis<\/strong> because everyone is different. Our personalities, past history, and current experiences all merge to shape our unique reactions to any circumstance.\u00a0 Give yourself the gift of time and compassion while you process your emotions.\u00a0 Be sure to seek the kind of support that you need from the people who can provide it for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to remember that although your child has a diagnosis and it feels like life will never be the same, truthfully, nothing has actually changed.\u00a0 Your child will continue to be their delightful self, with the same strengths and abilities that they\u2019ve always had.\u00a0 The only difference is that now you have a name for the challenges that you have always noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An ASD diagnosis is NOT a prediction of your child\u2019s future.\u00a0 With enough intense, collaborative work with dedicated professionals, a hefty dose of belief in your child (and a sprinkling of faith and good luck), almost any child can be anything that they want to become.<\/mark>\u00a0 So much of our children\u2019s success hinges on the environments and people that they are exposed to, the love that is showered upon them, and the skills that they are taught.<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s attack another common misconception about ASD diagnoses. An ASD diagnosis does NOT mean that your child is not bright, capable, friendly, joyful, kind or talented.\u00a0 Your child does have and will have all the many gifts and attributes we value for ourselves and our children.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the diagnostic criteria of ASD do hyperfocus on your child\u2019s weaknesses and do not mention any of their strengths.\u00a0 An ASD diagnosis simply doesn\u2019t describe or discuss the strengths or individuality of your incredible child. \u00a0\u00a0But nobody should ever be defined or related to exclusively by their challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main value in an ASD diagnosis is that it is an extremely helpful tool.\u00a0 It rules out what difficulties are NOT present so that you don\u2019t need to waste valuable time on a wild-goose chase. If your child has ASD, it usually means that their challenges are not symptoms of a medical or emotional condition.\u00a0 It also validates what difficulties ARE present. An objective outsider has met your child and identified the concerns you have seen yourself. Your concerns aren\u2019t a product of your imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most important reason it is important to have an ASD diagnosis is because it gives you, the parent, a roadmap for how to best help your child.\u00a0 Our society has already invested billions of dollars into reasearching the most effective treatments for autism.\u00a0 Although science has yet to discover the cause for autism, there have been major breakthroughs establishing evidence-based treatment protocols for autism.\u00a0 An ASD diagnosis is the first step to figuring out the best way to help your child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best ways that you can help your child with ASD succeed is to harness the power of their strengths to overcome their weaknesses. Maximize your child\u2019s potential and hire a team of behavior, educational and psychologist professionals to design a comprehensive ABA program, which is the gold-standard in helping individuals with ASD and their families live their best lives. Interact Therapy Services matches families with high-quality, trusted ABA professionals who will listen to your concerns, get to know your child\u2019s strengths, and design an individual treatment plan that will meet your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At Interact Therapy Services, we offer in-home ABA therapy services to children and their families. Our caring and committed professionals will work together with you to teach your child the skills that they need to progress and succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To find out more about Interact Therapy Services, call 732.806.0804 for a free no-obligation phone consultation. We look forward to helping you and your child!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" CORRECTING MISCONCEPTIONS You knew that something was different.\u00a0 So you took your child for a developmental evaluation and your child was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).\u00a0 And now your life has just become infinitely more complex. When a child is diagnosed with a developmental disorder such as ASD, you may feel many emotions.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nHERE IS WHAT AN ASD DIAGNOSIS IS NOT:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HERE IS HOW AN ASD DIAGNOSIS CAN HELP YOU:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
NEXT STEPS:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n