Coping Tips for Parents of Children with Autism When a child is
diagnosed with a disability, you would expect society to rush in
and help. But that doesn't happen. Parents are usually left
alone, without support or guidance, to figure the whole thing
out. Children with disabilities are excluded from community
schools, activities, and social events on a regular basis. In
fact, I've been told by some families that their children are
even excluded from family gatherings. It's not surprising, then,
that many parents feel alone and isolated when their child gets
a diagnosis of autism. Not only can there be very real social
exclusion, but there's an emotional isolation as well. Parents
feel alone in their grief. They have spent the last few years
going on outings and interacting with friends whose children are
developing typically, and now they are devastated by the fact
that their own child has significant disabilities in a variety
of areas. Rather than continue to socialize as normally as
possible, some parents w