7 Truths Every Autism Parent Should Know

A mom provides some truths for supporting and encouraging other parents.

By Lisa Candera, Esq., CLC

In the 15 years since my son was diagnosed with autism, there has been an explosion of information concerning its diagnosis and treatment. It can feel a bit overwhelming to navigate through it and decide which path is best for your child.

Here are some truths to help as you seek information or go through a challenging time.

This is not your fault

Since your child’s diagnosis, how many times have you asked yourself or a search engine, “What did I do to cause this?” or “Why is this happening to my child?”

You want answers and are seeking certainty. You believe, consciously or unconsciously, that you are somehow to blame.

You think that if you figure out why your child has autism, this will somehow enable you to know who to blame.

It is not your fault, and there is no upside to spending your time and energy focusing on the why of the diagnosis.

The reality is that your child is on the autism spectrum, and beating yourself up about it won’t help you, your child, or the journey. It will only make a difficult situation harder.