You have a letter. It says someone thinks your child should be assessed for autism. It does not say what happens next, how long it will take, or what you are supposed to do in the meantime. This book is for that kitchen-table moment. It does not diagnose, promise an outcome, or tell you which therapy is best. Instead, it helps you turn the referral into a set of concrete preparations: gathering specific observations, requesting the right records, asking the referrer and the service precise questions, and keeping a clear record of who does what and by when. It also speaks to the 2am worry about whether you should have said yes, and what happens if you do nothing. Assessment routes, terminology, and entitlements differ by country and region and change over time, so the book teaches you how to find and confirm local details rather than assuming one system. Throughout, your child is treated with dignity, and you are not shamed for waiting, for feeling grief, or for how you cope.
