by Tinoy Mama

Created on: May 24, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2008

The day my son was diagnosed with Autism was the day our lives changed forever. Keep in mind, though, that change is not always a bad thing. For us, that change meant that we were on our way to eliminating the day to day struggle that came with not knowing why our son was behaving the way he was. Change meant we were going to help him, and in turn help ourselves.

Having a child with special needs is a scary concept for many parents. When a child is first diagnosed, the best thing to do is to face the diagnosis head on. It is normal to be sad and upset, or even be in denial. There is definitely a grieving process; after all, this is your baby, the child you just knew was going to be perfect in every way. However, the sooner you come to terms with the fact that you have a child with special needs, the sooner you can start getting help.

Help can come in many forms. Doing research on your child's diagnosis is a great way to get more information about what to expect. Keep in mind though, that you need to take everything you read or hear with a grain of salt. Each case is different, and getting worked up over the worst-case-scenario will be more hindering than helpful.

Once you've done some research, start to network. Many special needs conditions have support groups in just about every metropolitan area. Seek those groups out. Not only will you meet people who are in a situation similar to yours; but you also might help them with your own insight.

Depending on the age of your child, the public school system might be a great resource and provide your child with many services free of charge. Many school districts start giving services to kids with special needs as young as three years of age. Your child may receive speech therapy, occupational therapy or physical therapy. They might qualify to attend a special needs class, or to get itinerant services in a regular class.

The most important thing to remember when you have a special needs child is that you are your child's biggest advocate. You need to curb your fear of the diagnosis, educate those around you (because people are afraid of what they don't know), and no-matter what, keep loving your child because your child is perfect in his or her own special way.

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