My child was just diagnosed with autism. What do I do?

What should I do in the first 48 hours after the diagnosis?

There isn't a required 48-hour family checklist. Ask the evaluating provider when the written report will be ready, how to obtain it and whom to contact with questions. Keep it with records you already have.

You don't need a medical diagnosis, physician referral or completed report to request the US public evaluations described below. Ask about early intervention or school evaluation in parallel. Clinical providers and insurers may have separate paperwork requirements; ask each one rather than treating its rules as universal.

Who do I need to call this week?

In the US, you can contact early intervention for a child under 3 or the local school district for a child aged 3 or older. Ask how to request an evaluation, what consent is needed and which timeline applies. A referral or request doesn't automatically establish eligibility.

For early intervention, the initial evaluation, applicable assessments and initial IFSP meeting generally must be completed within 45 days after the lead agency or provider receives the referral. Documented exceptional family circumstances or lack of consent despite repeated documented attempts can affect the period under 34 CFR 303.310. For an IDEA school evaluation, the general federal period is 60 days after receipt of parental consent, or the state's timeframe, with the availability and transfer exceptions in 34 CFR 300.301. Ask the program to explain its process.

Talk with your child's health professional about clinical concerns and possible referrals. You don't have to arrange every service in a single day, and the public evaluation request needn't wait for those referrals.

How do I talk to my child about the diagnosis?

Use communication your child understands and give them room to ask questions or respond in their own way. Ask the evaluating clinician for help explaining what the assessment means for this child, including strengths and support needs. An online script can't determine the right timing or words for every family.

Avoid treating the diagnosis as blame or assuming it tells you everything about the child. Include their preferences and perspective in conversations about support. Adults can discuss how to share relevant information respectfully without making disclosure a condition of receiving care or asking about an evaluation.

What if I feel numb, angry, or nothing at all?

People respond differently to new information about their child. You can talk with a trusted person and ask for practical support without deciding what your response means about you as a parent. This page can't assess your mental health or tell you that every level of distress is harmless.

If distress is interfering with daily life or you feel unable to cope, contact an appropriate health professional. If you or someone else is in a crisis or immediate danger, seek help now. In the US, call or text 988 for a suicide or self-harm crisis and call 911 for life-threatening danger; elsewhere use local crisis or emergency services.

Where do I start learning without drowning?

Start with the questions that matter for your child's next need: how to request an evaluation, what the report means, what support is available and whom to contact. Ask the relevant professional to explain unfamiliar terms. You don't have to read a fixed number of guides or follow a prescribed weekly schedule.

The existing free ABCs of Autism guide and planning tools are optional resources for organizing questions. They don't determine eligibility, replace an assessment or promise a treatment result. Keep a short list of questions and next contacts that you can revise as you learn more.