Don't Wait Do This: An Autism Parent’s Guide To The First 90 Days

A structured, priority-by-priority action guide for parents navigating the weeks and months right after a child's autism diagnosis — covering the emotional, therapeutic, and administrative sides at once.

The book organizes the first 90 days into three phases: Stabilize (days 1–14: process emotions, understand the diagnosis, gather information before acting), Activate (days 15–45: secure early intervention/school services, build a clinical team, tackle insurance and funding), and Sustain (days 46–90: build routines, protect caregiver wellbeing, plan long-term). Chapters walk through what an ASD diagnosis actually means (including DSM-5-TR severity levels), the range of parental emotions to expect, evidence-based therapies (ABA, speech-language therapy, OT) versus unproven interventions to avoid, how to navigate IDEA-based early intervention/IEP systems and insurance/Medicaid waivers, sensory-friendly home adjustments, and how to talk to family, community, and the child themselves about the diagnosis.