When your child is initially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it can be very scary. If you are unfamiliar with autism, you may not even know what to do! Many families of children with autism report feeling alone, scared, and worried about their child. However, in this day and age, there are plenty of autism resources for parents. More research on ASD has been done and we know so much more today compared to 20 or 40 years ago. The best part is that most autism resources for parents are accessible online! Here are some of the top autism resources for parents and how they can help:
Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks is an organization dedicated to increasing global awareness and understanding of autism. They fund autism research and advocacy. Their website offers some of the most comprehensive autism resources for parents, including an autism response team, directory, research guide, special needs financial planning toolkits, advocacy toolkits, and much more.
Autism Society
The Autism Society has been around for over 50 years and their goal is to see every person living with autism have a high quality of life, be treated with respect, and be both appreciated and valued. Their website is filled with autism resources for parents! Their resources include autism blogs and tips for future planning, academic success, and community inclusion.
Talisman Camps
At Talisman, we specialize in hosting summer camps for teens with ADHD, Aspergers, and autism between the ages of 6-22. This means that we spend quite a bit of time interacting with children with ASD. We can relate to the feeling of hopelessness when you don’t know how to help your child. That’s why we publish a variety of autism resources for parents.
The Autism Research Institute
The mission of The Autism Research Institute is to “improve the health and well-being of people on the autism spectrum through research and the education of professionals, those who are affected, and their families.” The website includes autism resources for parents like free webinars, educational content, and published research.
Autism Web
Autism web is an incredible collection of autism resources for parents. This website was created by parents of autistic children for parents of autistic children. The website has all sorts of autism resources for parents from therapies and diets to an online support forum.
Autism Resources for Parents
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, it’s crucial that you do your research. As a parent, it’s important that you understand your child’s diagnosis as much as possible, as well as how to help them. Luckily, there are plenty of online autism resources for parents that can help you do just that. If you are feeling nervous about your child’s diagnosis, don’t. You are not alone! There are many parents in the same boat as you that can become a fantastic support system.