An autism network is a group of people who have a vested interest in autism. The network allows people to share information, offer advice, and offer support. It is quite common for an autism network to be populated largely by parents who are trying to learn about how to cope with having an autistic child. Such a network might also include doctors, researchers, and educators who focus on autism in a professional manner. Finally, an autism network is often a good place to find out about autism-related resources and to get advice on which resources are the most useful.
There are a number of different kinds of networks. Some are national and some are organized by state. Some are funded and organized by government agencies such as the United States Department of Education, while others are independent networks set up by and organized mostly by parents or relatives of people with autism. Because the symptoms and severity of symptoms of autism vary from person to person, autism is described in terms of a spectrum. As part of an autism network, parents can find out more about exactly where their child falls on the spectrum, get advice, and also communicate with other parents who have children who fall in a similar area of the autism spectrum.
One of the uses of an autism network is for people to make important connections with doctors, specialists, and other parents that can be of use for many years. For example, parents living in Cleveland, Ohio, might use an autism network to try and find doctors and specialists in their area. They may use connections with other parents to get recommendations on which doctors and specialists are the best and, in some cases, which ones should be avoided. The connections made on an autism network might help parents deal with various issues as they arise such as when their autistic children begin school or enter puberty.
The information shared on an autism network can be very useful but should not be used as a replacement for consultations with doctors and autism experts. Rather, an autism network should be used to find a community of people who are focused on autism and can offer both advice and understanding. Some people may find that being a part of this kind of network can allow them to meet lifelong friends in addition to getting suggestions on books and articles and recommendations for doctors.