Financial resources for healthcare
Medicaid is a program jointly funded by the state and federal governments that provides health coverage to certain groups of people who qualify. Qualifying individuals include low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities, but the rules differ from state to state because each state regulates its own Medicaid program.
The Medicaid Reference Desk is another helpful resource to learn more about your state's Medicaid benefits, a glossary of terms, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
CHIP provides low-cost insurance to children in families that do not qualify for Medicaid. There is no enrollment period, and coverage for qualifying individuals can start at any time.
Parents or caregivers of children under the age of 18 with disabilities can check with Social Security to see if they qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. SSI payments can provide monthly payments to help meet the needs of children with disabilities.
Treatment options
It is important to make an informed decision about treatment for ASD. There are several resources that parents can use to educate themselves on the treatment options available.
What Are The Treatments for Autism? — National Institutes of Health
This website gives an overview of the treatment options available for ASD.
A Parent’s Guide to Evidence-based Practice and Autism — National Autism Center
This manual provides information and support for parents as they make decisions about the best treatment path for their child.
AAP Toolkits — American Academy of Pediatrics
These toolkits provide resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Spotlight on Treatment and Interventions Research — Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee
This document shows trends in autism research.
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parent’s Medication Guide — American Psychiatric Association
This resource provides a comprehensive guide to the medications available to treat symptoms of autism.
Resources for the development of babies and toddlers
Developmental Milestones — CDC
The CDC provides a milestone checklist and an app to help parents with an autistic child track development.
Moving from Preschool to Kindergarten — Autism Society
This guide has information about transitioning children from preschool to kindergarten.
Support for families
Family Support — National Autistic Society
This page provides support and advice for parents and carers of individuals with autism.
Find Your Parent Center — Center for Parent Information and Resources
This is a list of available parent centers in the United States.
A Guide to Safety — Organization for Autism Research
This guide has advice for families, educators, and members of the community to keep children with autism safe.
Education
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services — U.S. Department of Education
Use this site for information on programs offered by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Autism organizations
There are many organizations that provide education and services for individuals with autism and their families. The organizations listed are some of the leading, most trustworthy nonprofit organizations.
The National Autism Association is a parent-run nonprofit organization advocating for autism and providing education and tools.
The Autism Society provides autism education, news, and resources.
The Autism Research Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides education and support for individuals with autism, parents and caregivers, researchers, and healthcare providers.
Organization for Autism Research
The Organization for Autism Research is a nonprofit that raises money to fund autism research.
The Autism Self Advocacy Network is a nonprofit run by and for autistic people working to make society more inclusive for autistic people.
The Autism Science Foundation is a nonprofit organization that funds research to understand autism and find better treatments.
Resources for parents to share with pre-teens and teens with autism
Teen Services — Center for Autism and Related Disorders
The Center for Autism and Related Disorders provides teen services on location at their centers.
Puberty and Children on the Autism Spectrum — Autism Society
This is a guide to puberty in children with ASD.
How to find reliable information online
With so much information available online, it can be hard to know what to trust. Sources like government websites, professional organizations, and large hospitals are sources you can rely on. These sources will have information reviewed by professionals for accuracy.
There are several red flags to look out for when searching for health information online:
- No identifiable publisher/author on the page
- The purpose of the information is to sell a product
- The information is outdated
- There are no citations
- Sensational claims like “secret cure” or “miraculous result”
- Bad grammar or spelling errors that indicate poor quality control
Conclusion
There is a lot of information about autism on the internet. It is important to use trustworthy resources and have strong communication with healthcare providers.
Songbird Therapy is a technology-enabled provider setting a higher standard for children’s autism care. With a deeply passionate team and innovative technology, we’re building a world where every child can access world-class care at home, uniquely tailored to them.
