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The Diagnosis Journey Companion
Getting answers about your child isn't a verdict - it's a map. This companion helps you gather what you already know, ask what you need to know, and land on the other side of the appointment still standing. Bring pages 1-2 into the room; come back to the rest afterward.
You know your child best: No one in that room has spent the hours you have. This sheet just helps you carry what you already know in with you.
What we've noticed
A place to gather what's been catching your attention - no need to diagnose anything, just describe.
Things my child does that made us curious:
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When do these show up most? (check any, add your own)
- [ ] At home
- [ ] At school
- [ ] During transitions
- [ ] In sensory-heavy places
Anywhere else / more detail:
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What my child is wonderful at
Start here, and please don't skip it - the evaluation will focus on challenges, so let's write down the good first. At least three.
What my child is wonderful at (at least 3):
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What we've already tried or been told
Previous teachers' comments, pediatrician notes, other evaluations.
Row 1
- Who said it: ____________________
- What they said: ____________________
- What happened next: ____________________
Row 2
- Who said it: ____________________
- What they said: ____________________
- What happened next: ____________________
Row 3
- Who said it: ____________________
- What they said: ____________________
- What happened next: ____________________
Questions for the evaluator
Starter questions - check the ones you want to ask, and add your own.
- [ ] What exactly will you assess, and how long does it take?
- [ ] How do you assess kids who mask or camouflage?
- [ ] Will you tell me my child's strengths, not just deficits?
- [ ] What do the results mean for school support (IEP/504)?
- [ ] What happens if the results are unclear?
My own questions:
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Feelings check-in — before
No right answers - just a snapshot of where you are walking in. (0 = not at all, 5 = a lot)
Worried
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Hopeful
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Guilty
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Relieved
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Overwhelmed
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
The thing I'm most afraid of hearing is...
______________________________________________
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The thing I'm most hoping to hear is...
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Feelings check-in — after
Come back to this after the appointment. Same snapshot, new moment.
Worried
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Hopeful
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Guilty
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Relieved
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Overwhelmed
Rate from 0 to 5: ____
Something the evaluator said that stuck with me...
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What surprised me...
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What a diagnosis changes — and what it doesn't
Fill this in once you've had a little time to reflect.
Example — What it changes: The supports we can ask school for · What it doesn't change: Who my child is - they're the same kid they were yesterday
Row 2
- What it changes: ____________________
- What it doesn't change: ____________________
Row 3
- What it changes: ____________________
- What it doesn't change: ____________________
Our next three steps
Just three. Overwhelmed parents don't need ten.
1.
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By when:
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2.
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By when:
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3.
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By when:
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Same kid, clearer map: However the appointment goes, you'll walk out the same loving parent you walked in as - now with a clearer map. One step at a time.
Go deeper
Ready for more? These lessons pick up where this worksheet leaves off.
- Signs, Diagnosis, and What It Really Means, from Parenting Autism. Early signs, the kids evaluators miss, how an autism evaluation really works, and what a diagnosis changes — and doesn't.
- Grief, Guilt, and Growing New Expectations, from Parenting Autism. Grieving the imagined future without grieving your child, escaping the guilt spiral, and setting down the measuring tape.
- Choosing Therapies and Supports, from Parenting Autism. One question sorts almost every autism or ADHD therapy: does it ask your child to look normal, or feel better?