Help me learn more about autism pretty please

[PurplePikachu]

School have asked us to take DS2 for a formal assessment as they suspect autism.

He’s already had a speech and language assessment which said he had communication and social difficulties.

Can anybody recommend a good blog/podcast/book that might help me get my head round this and where to start with accessing the best support for him? It’s just not a topic I know about, and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and emotional about it all.

Good places to start might be National Autistic Society and Jessie Hewitson’s book How to Have a Happy Autistic Child. Luke Beardon also writes about autism in a really insightful and compassionate way, helping you to understand how things look from the child’s perspective. I haven’t read this one but it might be the most relevant to you I think. www.amazon.co.uk/Autism-Asperger-Syndrome-Childhood-diagnosed/dp/1847094929/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?s=books&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1635976548&refinements=p_27%3ALuke+Beardon&sr=1-6
Good luck. It can feel very overwhelming but a diagnosis is really helpful for yourself and your child. There will be ups and downs but information really arms you for what’s to come.

I would second all the recommendations above. It is much less scary the more you learn - hang in there.

Other good resources are the Nurturing Neurodiversity YouTube channel (and there is also an active Facebook group if you'd like support - although a lot of the parents there have pre-school aged kids), and Chris Bonnello's "Autistic Not Weird" website (and he also has some good talks on YouTube).

How old is your DS - has he just started school this year? Did he go to nursery before?