Finding A Good Autism Advocate Bay Area

By Enid Hinton


Becoming a new parent is typically one of the most life changing events most people ever experience. There really is nothing to prepare someone for the over whelming sense of responsibility they will feel. Having the care of a helpless infant in their hands is a very profound experience. Yet for some parents the changes are far more intense. When a baby or young child is diagnosed with a disability the responsibilities are even more intense.

Each year many thousands of children are diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. It is at this time that parents should seek out an autism advocate Bay area. These experienced individuals are often parents themselves who have spent years negotiating they system and know all the challenges the new parent faces. They can provide both emotional and practical support to help everyone achieve their full potential.

Most autistic children are not diagnosed at birth. The sad irony of the situation is that most families leave the hospital with no idea that anything is wrong and no clue about the difficulties that lie ahead. They have no way to prepare for the changes that will happen to them. Being unable to prepare is one of the hardest things to cope with and many parents say this makes them feel as though they have let their child down in many ways. Moving ahead after such negative feelings is crucial and an essential part of the overall recovery process.

In many cases the family will only begin to realize that something is wrong as they child reaches the age of two and is not yet talking. Although there can be many other reasons for this it is still important to get a referral to an experienced neurologist. These highly trained specialists will run a battery of tests that include many markers for social and emotional development. When the diagnosis finally comes in the family will often feel exhausted and devastated. Their lives will have changed forever.

It takes many years of experience to learn about the laws surrounding special education and related services. There are many ways to secure necessary services without having to resort to confrontation. Parents need to know how important it is to maintain a cordial relationship with the local school system so that they get the best for their child. It is also important to be able to meet with teachers and school personnel on a regular basis.

Many autistic children find typical social situations far too over whelming. The noise, lights and chaos of a local play group can be enough to trigger a complete melt down. With this in mind there are many specially designed play groups just for special needs youngsters. They are run by experienced professionals and planned to meet their unique needs. For example, the number of children attending will be very few, maybe only two or three at a time to provide an opportunity to meet in more relaxed conditions.

Advocates are especially valuable when a child enters the school system. The special education laws exist to support children and their families, yet there are often struggles and issues to be resolved.

Most local agencies will help to connect parents with local advocacy groups. However, word of mouth is also a valuable resource. Many people also go on line to find their nearest group. All of these methods can be tremendously helpful to the entire family. After all there is so much that can be done to help every autistic child.




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