When Your Child is diagnosed with Level 3 Autism

 When your child is diagnosed with level three autism, it can feel like the ground shifts beneath you. Suddenly, there are new words, new expectations, and a lot of emotions ... confusion, fear, sadness, relief, or even a strange kind of calm. Every parent reacts differently, and that’s okay.

I remember when Wyatt was diagnosed. The truth is, it didn’t change the way I saw him at all. He was -  and still is - the same person he was before anyone said the word autism. A diagnosis doesn’t define who our children are. It just gives us language and tools to understand them better.

For some parents, though, the diagnosis hits hard. It can feel like the future you imagined has suddenly changed shape. But here’s what I want you to remember: your child hasn’t changed. The diagnosis didn’t take away a single part of who they are - their laugh, their quirks, their love for certain routines, or the way they light up when they’re happy. Those things are still theirs.

It’s okay to grieve the expectations you had. It’s okay to feel scared. And it’s okay to not know what comes next. You don’t need to have all the answers right now. What matters most is that your child feels loved, accepted, and supported.. and that you know you’re not alone.

As time goes on, you’ll start to see the diagnosis not as a limitation, but as a map. It helps you understand how your child experiences the world, and how you can meet them there. Level three autism comes with significant challenges, yes - but it also comes with deep, meaningful connections and growth when we learn to see things through our child’s eyes.

So if you’re standing in that space right now - with a new diagnosis and a thousand questions... take a breath. Your child is still your child. You’re still their safe place. And this journey, while different than you imagined, can still be full of love, joy, and progress in its own way.

You’ve got this.

Kerri