What Do I Do Now?

Steps To Take Once You Have/Suspect A diagnosis of Autism/PDD
If you already have a diagnosis, or if you suspect your child has autism:

• Make an appointment with a developmental pediatrician/neurologist to have your child evaluated immediately
  
• Contact your local health department or Department of Human Services and apply for Medicaid, also known as Katie Beckett Medicaid Waiver (depending on your state, a child with autism is eligible for Medicaid under this waiver no matter what the family's income may be).
  
• If your child is under the age of 3 years old, contact your local Early Intervention or Child Outreach Program to evaluate and provide free and appropriate services for your child. If your child is 3 years of age of older, contact your local school district's Special Education Department for assistance.
  
• Contact your State FEAT organization for support and resources.
  
• Contact your local Social Services agency and apply for Respite services (these are services that provide a care giver to watch over your child while you receive a much needed break).
  

"Finding the Words/Family Perspectives on Effective Autism Treatment"

To see a short film that documents 2 families and how they decided "what to do now" when their children were diagnosed with autism, click the following link (or cut and paste link into your browser) http://www.perspectivescorporation.com/news/article.asp?id=175