Your Options
Find out what suits you best!
Local Autism Center : Most Common Treatment
More leeway on starting time
Since it is tough to find out procedures and steps for one to take, a solid option would be to visit an Autism Center, a service widely available across the states. A visit and consultation with the Center is necessary to deem status of treatment. This has long since been a tried and true method of supporting children with autism with specialists giving their help in person at a hostel/daycare-esque facility. This often times means that the child won’t get individual attention, but rather work alongside other children and teachers. This particular style of treatment tends to be very popular due to it’s hands-off nature and how work is transferred to professionals to do their work. It is also covered by some insurances and has low wait times, but you lose some individual treatment.
ABA Therapy:
A Newer Treatment
Start Early, Get Results
ABA, applied behavior analysis, is a treatment designed to encourage certain behaviors through repetition and long term support. Often times, these programs can last upwards of decade if need be. It is a huge time commitment from parents and service workers alike, but despite being recent it has shown great results. The more personalized nature allows it to target all of the child’s needs very accurately. Note that a child will be thoroughly tested and that the therapy has a decently sized waitlist and may not be covered by one’s insurance. This program has recently taken off due to it’s personal nature and a guarantee of individual/personal help and care.
Parental Care:
A Final Attempt
As Soon As Conceivably Possible
If the previous two options are not feasible, this may be what is necessary to support your child. There are resources by which placement on the spectrum can be determined from home, though it is not as rigorous. This website can provide some basic knowledge, which more extensive statements being listed in the articles section. If this option is taken, ideally it is started during the formative years of a child’s growth, from ages 2-6 once a condition is identified. From there, use a diagnostic test, whether from a local center(ideally and if possible) or online(note that these questions will be difficult to answer for a young child or one who is unable to communicate). This is the smallest monetary investment, with no risk of hidden insurance copays, but it is by far the most difficult.