The Dayton Autism Society is an affiliate of the Autism Society of America. We are a volunteer organization that aims to provide support to families of individuals diagnosed with ASD.
We do not conduct any evaluations for autism or endorse any doctors or medical facilities. Our role is to provide community support and resources!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. My child is showing signs of being on the spectrum but I do not know where to go for help. What can I do?
The best place to start is with your family physician. Currently, the majority of facilities (Dayton, Cincinnati, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and other organizations) are not accepting new patients due to overwhelming requests for evaluations. The wait time is as follows:
Dayton Childrens: No evaluations for children over 4 years old. The current waitlist is about one year.
Cincinnati Childrens: No evaluations for children over 6. The current waitlist is about one year.
Nationwide Childrens: The current waitlist is about two years.
The Dayton Autism Society is doing its best to find and connect with facilities that are accepting patients and can assist with completing assessments.
2. The school refuses to give my child an IEP for autism, what can I do?
Schools are required to complete an evaluation upon the request of a parent when a disability is suspected. This must be done with a team approach and several members of the team must contribute in order to make a decision. The key component of the decision-making is the impact on the child’s access to education and their progress. IEPs are not “given,” they are developed by a team after the completion of the ETR is done and the disability is identified.
A medical diagnosis of ASD does not always translate to an educational diagnosis. Check out this document on the Myths and Misconceptions of Identifying ASD
3. Are there any resources for parents to help with parenting?
Positive Parenting Program-great resource that offers classes
4. I am an adult and suspect that I may be autistic, is there a place I can go for help?
When it comes to places that assess adults, it is EXTREMELY difficult to find a place that will assess adults. Our recommendation is to discuss with your family doctor your concerns to see if they can offer any assistance with connecting you to a counselor or psychologist.