After the Autism Diagnosis

What it is

A diagnosis can arrive with a stack of reports, referrals, waitlists, and advice from every direction. This binder starts where you should: with your child. Then it gives you a gentle 90-day map and one place for every call, visit, school meeting, and paper, so you don't have to carry it all in your head.

What's included

• Start here: how to use it, and a note on words (autistic, has autism, on the spectrum: follow your family's and your child's lead)
• The First 90 Days: three gentle stretches (breathe and gather, line things up, find your rhythm) with tick-off steps and check-in dates
• My Child, in My Words: what you love about them, strengths, deep interests, how they communicate, what helps, what's hard. Share it with new teachers and providers
• Reading the Report: "sounds like my child" next to "doesn't sound like the child I know," strengths it named and strengths it missed, words to look up
• Sorting Next Steps: sort every recommendation into now, soon, later, or not right now
• Choosing Providers: 10 questions to ask any therapy, program, or provider, with room to compare three side by side
• Calls, Referrals & Waitlists: one tracker for every call, referral, and check-back date
• Our Team: contact cards for doctor, evaluator, speech, OT, school, and more
• Visit Notes (2 per page) and Questions to Bring (doctor, therapists, school)
• School: who's who, requests and papers log, supports that help, plus a School Meeting before-and-after page
• Sensory Notes: seeks, avoids, and what helps across sounds, light, touch, tastes, smells, movement, and body signals
• What I'm Learning About My Child: a noticing-not-judging log, plus moments of joy
• Words We Use and Telling Family & Friends: gentle ways to talk with your child, and fill-in scripts for relatives
• Your Own Feelings: a page just for you
• Papers, Insurance & Costs, Community & Resources, and a help page

Great for