Denial About a Child's Autism Diagnosis: Does It Have to Be So Long?

Denial is a reaction when hearing that their child has been diagnosed with Autism. Every family is shocked to learn that their child has Autism. Their meticulously planned future abruptly crumbles. Ultimately, they reject the reality and assume their child is fine.

The question is, is this reaction normal?

A human reaction

Families with children with Autism feel as if they've received a confusing surprise from God, who has blessed them with a special child. The family doesn't immediately accept it. The family doesn't believe their child has Autism.

According to Any Rotty, denial is a human reaction. No one expected their child to be born with Autism. The mother of Ruben Rotty, a young man with Autism who is talented at painting, said that the reason the family is in denial is disbelief that their child is on the Autism spectrum.

Parents whose children are diagnosed with Autism are confused about what to do. For most novice parents, this situation is frightening, especially because they are unprepared. 

However, Any said that while it's human nature, we shouldn't linger in denial for too long. It's better to take immediate action to ensure our children develop optimally.

Furthermore, if we continue to deny that our children are healthy, it will actually harm the child and the family in the long run.

Persuading parents to move out of denial denial

Perhaps we have friends who have children with Autism and are in denial. As parents who have moved out of denial, we need to take a role. We need to provide information and engage them in discussions so our friends can move out of denial.

However, persuading families who are still in denial is not easy. We face a lot of rejection and skepticism. Many still believe their children will be fine. "The child will become better eventually" is what families in denial say.

Any also urges us not to give up. We must continue to provide information and do what is needed. Because we know that denial has a tremendous impact, we must not abandon our friends' families alone.

The importance of community

One way to emerge from denial is to join a community. In a community, we can learn best practices in raising and developing children. We also have the opportunity to meet parents who have had similar experiences, providing a strong support system.

Communities can be a wonderful place to discuss and build trust. Any sees community as one technique that can help parents emerge from denial. denial. 

Finding a community isn't difficult. With the abundance of information available, especially on social media, it's increasingly easy to discover a community that resonates with us. 

In short, denial is human nature, as no one is prepared for or expects their child to have autism. However, don't delay, as early intervention is crucial to see the results later.