HELP son diagnosed yesterday and i dont know what to do next ???

Diagnosis is tough whether you were expecting it or not. Being sent away to get on with it is also not necessarily unusual. This is because diagnosis comes under the NHS and help comes from the local authority in terms of education services or social services - except if there is a need for speech therapy or OT or if there are mental health concerns when some help will come from the NHS. It means the system is quite fragmented.

First of all give yourself time to get your head round it.

Secondly look objectively at what the problems are and then address them. The diagnosis doesn't really matter its the effect. 

If he is struggling at school then you could consider asking for a statutory assessment (look at NAS and IPSEA websites) and the SEN Code of Practice. This sets out the different levels of help.

If he needs hep with speech ask for Speech therapy visits to start

If you are strapped for cash or have expenses  - look at DLA - Cerebra, NAS and Contact a Family websites all good for info. My son gets high rate DLA for ASD so you will be eligible if you have to provide more care than a typical child of that age.

If you get middle rate or higher DLA you can also claim carers allowance and extra tax credits.

If you need family support consider counselling via your GP or asking for an assessment from social services eg a carers assessment for you and a disabled child's assessment - this might lead to an offer of respite which can usually be taken as direct payments.

If you have a carers resource or similar locally they can give up info about local support and also help you with DLA forms etc

Most children with ASD are in mainstream these days although often they are not  well placed there. You should take time to look around the options private and state run locally eg some mainstream schools have units attached. You should have a parent partnership officer attached to your local authority who can send you a list of options. Don't be afraid to look over LA boundaries if you are not happy with the local offering.

There are also private therapy options and the NAS website has info on all the various interventions.

The best way forward is to secure an educational psychology assessment either as part of statutory assessment or outside statutory assessment. You can refer yourself (just ring the LA switchboard and ask for the Ed Psychs) and ask for an EP to do an assessment of what support is needed and to come and talk to you about the options.

If your son needs speech therapy again you can self refer or the school can call this in.

Most schools will have a speech therapist, EP and autism outreach teacher attached to them who can come in so arrange a meeting with the SENCO and ask for all of this to start happening.

Just take it a day at a time and let yourself get used to the idea.

Diagnosis is tough whether you were expecting it or not. Being sent away to get on with it is also not necessarily unusual. This is because diagnosis comes under the NHS and help comes from the local authority in terms of education services or social services - except if there is a need for speech therapy or OT or if there are mental health concerns when some help will come from the NHS. It means the system is quite fragmented.

First of all give yourself time to get your head round it.

Secondly look objectively at what the problems are and then address them. The diagnosis doesn't really matter its the effect. 

If he is struggling at school then you could consider asking for a statutory assessment (look at NAS and IPSEA websites) and the SEN Code of Practice. This sets out the different levels of help.

If he needs hep with speech ask for Speech therapy visits to start

If you are strapped for cash or have expenses  - look at DLA - Cerebra, NAS and Contact a Family websites all good for info. My son gets high rate DLA for ASD so you will be eligible if you have to provide more care than a typical child of that age.

If you get middle rate or higher DLA you can also claim carers allowance and extra tax credits.

If you need family support consider counselling via your GP or asking for an assessment from social services eg a carers assessment for you and a disabled child's assessment - this might lead to an offer of respite which can usually be taken as direct payments.

If you have a carers resource or similar locally they can give up info about local support and also help you with DLA forms etc

Most children with ASD are in mainstream these days although often they are not  well placed there. You should take time to look around the options private and state run locally eg some mainstream schools have units attached. You should have a parent partnership officer attached to your local authority who can send you a list of options. Don't be afraid to look over LA boundaries if you are not happy with the local offering.

There are also private therapy options and the NAS website has info on all the various interventions.

The best way forward is to secure an educational psychology assessment either as part of statutory assessment or outside statutory assessment. You can refer yourself (just ring the LA switchboard and ask for the Ed Psychs) and ask for an EP to do an assessment of what support is needed and to come and talk to you about the options.

If your son needs speech therapy again you can self refer or the school can call this in.

Most schools will have a speech therapist, EP and autism outreach teacher attached to them who can come in so arrange a meeting with the SENCO and ask for all of this to start happening.

Just take it a day at a time and let yourself get used to the idea.