You are Not Alone – The Newly Diagnosed Autism Parent Survival Guide

My son Memphis was 3 years old. Level 3. Severe. Non-verbal. Those words came out of the doctor’s mouth and I sat there trying to hold it together while my whole world quietly rearranged itself.

I drove home in a fog. I didn’t cry right away — I think I was too stunned. And then the questions started. What does this mean for him? What does this mean for our family? What do I do first? Who do I call? Is this my fault?

At the time, I had an older son and a baby girl at home. My husband was working long hours. And suddenly I was expected to become an expert in therapy types, IEP laws, insurance codes, sensory diets, and communication devices — all while making lunches, doing laundry, and pretending I was okay.

I wasn’t okay. And nobody told me that was allowed.

The isolation was the hardest part. Friends didn’t know what to say. Family tried but didn’t really understand. Outings became impossible. Some days I didn’t leave the house because the world just felt too hard to navigate with Memphis.

I wrote this guide for the mom I was on that first day. The one sitting in the parking lot of the doctor’s office, Googling things she didn’t understand, feeling completely alone.

You are not alone. Memphis has taught me more about strength, love, and what really matters than anything else in my life. And your child will do the same for you.

This is where we start.

With love and zero judgement,

A mom who gets it