CALLER: Our three-year-old son recently got diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The doctor gave us a list of resources we might want to check out. My wife has followed up and he is on a waitlist for two therapies the doctor recommended for our son — ABA and speech therapy. We also have found and are making our way through the archived trainings from TRIAD, and other webinars on the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center online learning portal. There is a lot to learn, and this diagnosis kind of shocked me. I can’t help feeling like we are missing something somehow … Is there a place or a space where we can connect with other parents and learn from their experiences?
PATHFINDER: Support groups can be very helpful for families, and in Rutherford County, there are several to choose from.
Autism Tennessee lists all the Middle Tennessee support groups pertaining to autism here: https://autismtn.org/Support-Groups
You will find a parent support group on that page and others — there’s a group just for moms, and a group just for dads, groups for siblings, groups for high schoolers, and groups for adults who are on the spectrum. Some are in-person, some virtual, and some hybrid. The support groups are listed for all counties at the top, and then when you scroll down, you’ll find parent ambassadors and groups listed alphabetically by county areas.
Autism Tennessee is a member-supported nonprofit organization which works to advocate, celebrate, educate, and connect persons who have autism or who have family members with autism. In addition to the support groups, it sponsors many different educational and/or fun events which are good opportunities to meet others in the community.
Similarly, there are autism organizations in both East and West Tennessee.
The Autism Society of East Tennessee
Autism Resources of the Mid-South
Family members whose child/ren are connected with specific provider agencies will sometimes find that agencies also offer support groups. Children’s Center for Autism, which partners with the Community Development Centers in Lewisburg and in Shelbyville, is an example.
As a person or a family’s needs change, what they want or need from a support group may also change. Some are more geared to a topic, and some more geared to a specific disability or health condition. Support and networking groups share information on employment, good reads, how to make changes in state laws, mental health experiences and social skills to name just a few.
You can search the Pathfinder database yourself. Or, Call Pathfinder. We are happy to help you find the support group that is just right for you.
| Questions and scenarios found in the Call Pathfinder column represent questions received by Pathfinder but are not taken from actual Pathfinder calls. Actual resource information provided varies based on the specific situation and needs of each individual. |