My child just got diagnosed with autism, now what?
It can be a very overwhelming, tiring and intimidating task to figure out what to do after your child receives a diagnosis of autism. Just typing the word “autism” into a search engine brings up massive amounts of information – far too much for anyone to sift through. If you’re a parent whose child has just received an autism diagnosis, here are some tips on what to do next. We’ll cover:
How to access autism funding
What types of autism services and therapy are available
How to build your team of providers (including home-based ABA or centre-based ABA)
1. How to access autism funding
Look into funding available for autism support in your province or territory. If you live in British Columbia, then you need to fill out paperwork for your child to access autism funding and drop it off at a Child & Family Services office, along with other documentation provided by the professional who diagnosed your child. These offices are across B.C. and you should have one in your area. You should have received the documentation and forms to fill out from the team of diagnosing clinicians (either the private psychologist you went to or the team at Sunnyhill); if you didn’t, send the clinicians an email and ask about it.
2. What types of autism services and therapy are available?
While you’re waiting for your funding to be approved, you’ll want to decide on the type of therapy you would like your child to receive. A well-rounded approach is the best approach to helping kids with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). This means it will be important to have a team of professionals working together with you and your child.
What kind of professionals am I talking about? Plenty of them – you’ll quickly get used to the acronyms too. There are board certified behaviour analysts (BCBAs), behaviour interventionists (BIs), and speech and language pathologists (SLPs). Sometimes physiotherapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) can also be part of your team, depending on your child’s gross and fine motor needs.
So what do all these people do?
Board certified behaviour analysts: BCBAs provide behavioural therapy known as applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and work on areas such as language and communication, social and play skills, self-help or daily living skills (toileting, dressing, etc.), self-regulation and independence. They often work on school readiness skills such as attending (attending to tasks, activities, people), pre-kindergarten academics, and play. BCBAs also provide intervention for challenging (or what I call misinterpreted) behaviour, such as self-injurious behaviour, elopement, and aggression.
Behaviour interventionists: BIs provide the direct intervention under the supervision of a BCBA. In other words, they do all the therapy and teaching under strict guidance by a certified behaviour analyst. For children under six, the BIs must be supervised by a board certified behaviour analyst, not an uncertified behaviour consultant.
Speech and language pathologists: SLPs work on things such as speech sound productions, social/pragmatic language difficulties, oral motor difficulties, apraxia of speech and stuttering.
Physiotherapists: PTs may work on skills such as increasing strength, balance, mobility, and gross motor and fine motor skills.
Occupational therapists: OTs may focus on needs such as sensory processing, self-regulation, gross and fine motor skills, and daily living skills. They also help with transitions, such as transitioning into daycare, school, or work.
How does applied behaviour analysis (ABA) fit in?
At the time of diagnosis, most parents will be given information about autism and therapy services from the professional who diagnosed their child (in British Columbia, this is often a private psychologist or a team of professionals at Sunny Hill). This is just the start.
If you are reading this on my site, then you’ve likely already heard about applied behaviour analysis (ABA). It has become universal, based on lots of research, that ABA is the most scientifically proven and effective therapy for teaching children with autism. But ABA involves more than just the behaviour analyst. Behaviour analysts often work closely with speech pathologists, school teams, occupational therapists, and other professionals to help implement goals in these different fields.
If your child is under six and you live in BC, then you’ll need to choose service providers listed on the Registry of Autism Service Providers (RASP). All the therapies listed above can be found on the RASP list, including the listing for my own ABA centre, Happy Oak (if you have any questions about the services Happy Oak provides, I’m always available to chat by phone or connect by email).
3. How to build your team of providers
Before you start an ABA program, you’ll need to decide if you want a home-based program or a centre-based program. There are pros and cons to each; you can learn more in my article on home-based vs. centre-based ABA therapy for children with autism. I suggest calling a few private BCBAs who do home-based programs and a few ABA centres in your area to see how they operate, what their costs are and what you can expect from their services. At Happy Oak, we provide both home-based and centre-based programs and are located in Vancouver, BC; if you’re in our area, give us a call to see if our services may be a match for your family.
It can be tricky selecting the right setting for your child and your family. I always tell parents to go with your gut! Choose people who you connect well with, who have the proper qualifications, and who are happy to work with you and incorporate your goals and wants for your child.
If you decide on a home-based ABA program, then it’s time to start hiring. You can use the RASP list or search online for providers in your area (if you search online, make sure your providers are on the RASP list). You will likely need an ABA team that includes a BCBA and a couple of BI and an SLP.
There are many good SLP agencies and SLPs who hire privately. Once you hire your BCBA or behaviour consultant, they can guide you in the process of hiring BIs to come to your home. Note: behavioural interventionists/behavioural therapists are not on the RASP list as they just need to be guided by a BCBA who is on the list.
If you decide on a centre-based ABA program, then make sure to choose one close to home to save on driving. As well, ask about their policies to find out whether you can stay and watch sessions, if it’s drop off only, or any other questions you may have. Ask to visit the space and find out about other programs and social skill opportunities they may offer. At Happy Oak, we offer an open-door policy and gradual entry to help kids and parents with separation anxiety.
As a mother and behaviour analyst, I can appreciate the overwhelming feelings that may come with receiving a diagnosis of autism for your child and scrambling to find services that encompass your family and provide the best support for your kiddo. Therefore, it is my goal to ensure we support you through every step of this journey.
Good luck and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out at info@happyoak.ca.
Yours truly,
Elyssa McKee
M.Ed, Special Education, BCBA
Clinical director, founder and owner
Happy Oak Behavioural Consulting
Serving Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, North Vancouver and West Vancouver