Updated: June 11, 2008 

The one thing I wish the medical community would do is to educate their pediatric neurologists, developmental pediatricians and pediatricians on just the mere fact that Autism is treatable… and reversible.  Recovery is possible and is happening all around you.  I speak to parents week after week and they took their child to the doctor, got a diagnosis of pdd, autism, adhd, etc. and were sent on their merry way.   Some holding prescriptions for drugs like Risperdel, some holding prescriptions for 40 hours of ABA per week.  Some are told their child will grow out of it, some are told to go home and have another baby and to prepare to put this child in an institution or a group home.  But nothing else…..  no hope, nothing.  “Your kid is autistic, accept it and move on.” 

Well, guess what – sometimes doctors just don’t know what they’re talking about.  And when it comes to Autism, most of us seasoned autism parents have already figured this one out.

So, first of all, rip up that prescription for Risperdel – you’re not quite there yet.  There are reasons why your child is agitated or hyperactive.  The puzzle is finding out why and fixing those issues, not slapping a band-aid (ala risperdel) on it and hoping it goes away.  Yes!  You can actually fix the issues that are causing your child to act this way.  (Please dont misunderstand me – sometimes you need these prescriptions, but not right off the bat without further research.)

Secondly, go hug your child.  He/she is the same beautiful child that you entered that doctor’s office with and the same one that you came home with.

In this section, Diagnosis: Autism, I am going to post all of the helpful resources, websites, books and anything else I found to be useful while on this journey. 

To answer the question above, What do we do now?  It’s simple, you educate yourself one step at a time.  This is a marathon, not a race.  You will need to pace yourself.  You will need to start writing in a journal.   You will become intimately involved in examining and discussing poop.   You will begin to see how well you truly know your own child.  You will get through this……..