Whatever you're feeling right now — relief, grief, overwhelm, determination, all of it at once — is a completely normal response to a diagnosis that changes how you understand your child's path forward. Here's a practical, manageable starting point for the weeks right after diagnosis.
Give Yourself Permission to Feel However You Feel
Before any practical steps: there's no "correct" emotional response to an autism diagnosis. Some parents feel immediate relief at finally having an answer. Others grieve expectations they hadn't realized they were holding. Many feel both at once, in the same hour. None of this reflects on how much you love your child or how well you'll parent them going forward.
Week 1: Process the Report and Ask Questions
Read the full diagnostic report when you're ready, and don't hesitate to schedule a follow-up call with the evaluator if anything is unclear — you're entitled to understand exactly what the report says and what it recommends. Write down questions as they come up; you won't remember all of them otherwise.
Weeks 1-2: Start Understanding the Landscape
Begin familiarizing yourself with the basics: what autism actually is (our pillar guide is a good start), what your child's specific diagnostic level means (see Understanding Autism Levels), and what kinds of services and support typically help. You don't need to become an expert overnight — this is a marathon, not a sprint.
Weeks 1-3: Contact Free Navigation Resources
Reach out to the Autism Alliance of Michigan's MiNavigator program (1-877-463-AAOM) — this free service exists specifically to help newly diagnosed families understand their options and connect with local resources, and it can save you significant time trying to figure this out alone.
Weeks 2-4: Start the Insurance and Provider Process
If ABA therapy is recommended, this is a good time to begin researching providers and verifying insurance benefits — a process that can take time, so starting early avoids extending the gap before services begin. Our guide to choosing the right ABA provider walks through what to look for.
Weeks 2-4: Connect With School, If Applicable
If your child is school-age or approaching school age, this is a good time to initiate contact with your school district about evaluation for special education services, or to share the diagnosis with your child's current school team if they're already enrolled.
Ongoing: Find Your People
Whenever you're ready — there's no deadline — consider connecting with a local support group or other parents navigating similar circumstances. See Autism Support Groups Near Grand Rapids and Lansing for a starting point. You don't have to figure this out in isolation.
What Not to Do in the First 30 Days
Try not to make every decision at once, or feel like you need a fully mapped-out five-year plan immediately. It's also worth being cautious of overwhelming amounts of information — some of it outdated, some of it not applicable to your specific child — that can come from well-meaning but unfiltered internet research. Reliable sources like your evaluator, MiNavigator, and vetted local organizations are a better foundation than an open-ended search.
For Rockford-Area Families
Our BCBA Assessments & Treatment Planning service is designed around exactly this kind of goal. When you're ready to explore ABA therapy specifically, our in-home ABA therapy in Rockford page has more information, or Get Started Today — we're glad to move at whatever pace feels right for your family.
This article is part of our complete guide, What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Clinically reviewed by Kimberly Blazer, BCBA.