We just got an autism diagnosis. What happens now?
Clinically reviewed by Ruth Gluck, MSEd, BCBA
A diagnosis day is heavy, even when you expected it. Here's the honest truth: the diagnosis changed the paperwork, not your child. Your kid is the same kid they were yesterday — and now doors open.
Give yourself a minute
You don't have to do everything this week. The first useful thing you can do is read the evaluation report once, note the recommendations page, and put the report somewhere you can find it — you'll be asked for it a lot.
The first 30 days, in order
Here's the sequence that saves families the most time:
- Ask the diagnosing provider for a prescription or referral for ABA therapy — insurance will want it
- Call your insurance (or let us do it free) to confirm ABA benefits
- Pick an ABA provider and start intake — assessments and approvals take a few weeks, so starting now means starting therapy sooner
- If your child is under 3: connect with your state's early intervention program. If 3+: request a school evaluation in writing for an IEP
What ABA intake looks like
When you call us, an intake advocate collects the basics, verifies your insurance for free, and schedules a BCBA assessment. The BCBA meets your child, writes a treatment plan with you, and we submit it for approval. Then sessions start — in your home, in a center, or both.
You approve everything before it's submitted. You are the expert on your child; we're the experts on the process.
One thing to skip
Skip the 2 a.m. internet spiral. There is a lot of scary, outdated, and just plain wrong content about autism online. Your child's team — the evaluator, your doctor, your BCBA — knows your actual child. Bring them your questions, even the hard ones.