What to do when you hear the "A"-word

There is no other feeling in the world that strikes your heart when you first hear the "A"-word and your child's name in the same sentence. The stab in the heart is quickly followed by denial, fear, anger, hopelessness. I know many many moms who went thru the same thing and we're all at different stages. I remember thinking, "I wish it was 2 years from now"...because I knew it would get better and it does. Lots of parents have to wait MONTHS before they get the official word. That, to me, is the perfect form of torture. For those who wonder "What do I do while I wait?" I have these suggestions:
Read Dr. Bock's book: http://www.4ahealing.com/

Read The Autism Source Book by Exkorn

Read Let Me Hear Your Voice by Catherine Maurice

Visit this message board: http://boards.babycenter.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=bcus1143871

Visit www.tacanow.com

Reading and researching does not sound like much BUT you are "arming" yourself with valuable information that you will not have time to get once a DX is given (if given). Use the next few months wisely and try not to feel too urgent...you will be good and ready in plenty of time.

While you're doing that get an appt. with a DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) doctor...
find at http://www.autism.com/ - this is a biomedical approach.

I started biomedical intervention (a tiny bit at a time) 3 years after Lili was DX'd. I'm one to focus heavily on one thing at a time to make sure I know what form of therapy is working. If you do too many interventions all at once you won't know which your child is responding to!