Support for Parents

 Resources included in this section are resources for parents to understand Autism Spectrum Disorders better as well as various definitions. The resources also include sites developed to help families before and after a diagnosis.

American Academy of Pediatrics Autism Spectrum Disorder Resource List

Resource list: autism spectrum disorder. (2016). [PDF file]. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/cocwd_autism_resource_nce.pdf.

This list was developed to accompany an educational session, “Autism: From Diagnosis to Transition and Beyond” presented by the Council on Children with Disabilities at the 2016 American Academy of Pediatrics’ National Conference and Exhibition. In addition to the American Academy of Pediatrics as a resource, the guide also includes links to various other resources including healthychildren.org which offers information backed by pediatricians and includes the links to Autism related sections of that website. Even though this is a PDF, it does include the link for the AAP autism section where you can look for more updated information. This PDF is only available in English but the AAP website does include international information.

University of Washington (UW) Autism Center Online Resources 

Resources. (2019). Retrieved from https://depts.washington.edu/uwautism/resources/.

The UW’s Autism Center offers various online resources that are beneficial for parents at various stages of their child’s diagnosis. UW’s Autism Center’s resources include a CDC guide to tracking your child’s developmental milestones up to the age of 4. A handout for choosing the correct Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) treatment for your child that was made by Dr. Natasha Harrington (an autistic self-advocate). UW’s resources include topics such as whether bilingual environments hinder language development in kids with ASD. Resources included are backed by research and have citations at the bottom of the handout or pdf. The Autism Center also includes resources for planning a trip for children which is often a missed area. 

Pathfinders for Autism’s Tips for Staying Ahead of the Game: DSM-V and Autism

Blackwell M. C., & Culotta, V. P. (2015). PFA tips: Staying ahead of the game. Retrieved from https://pathfindersforautism.org/articles/healthcare/pfa-tips-staying-ahead-of-the-game-he-dsm-5-and-autism/

This pithy guide explains changes made in diagnosis of ASD and Asperger’s in the DSM-V, released in 2013. The guide was updated in 2015, and Pathfinders for Autism notes it will make more updates when updates are available. It answers commonly asked questions for parents of children who were diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s, or related disorders in the DSM-IV. Hyperlinks to diagnosis descriptions from the American Psychiatric Association are easy to read, working, and do not have an overwhelming amount of information. It addresses a major concern of parents who have children diagnosed under DSM-IV– will my child’s benefits continue if they do not meet the diagnosis in the DSM-V? Though this resource is specifically for Maryland for legal information and benefits, we’ve decided to include it because it does explain changes in a succinct way to all parents. Its presence in the guide alone also signals to parents who are unaware of the changes that it has happened in the first place.