Starting Autism Therapies: What We Expected vs Reality

After a long wait of around three months, we finally began therapy.

We started with speech therapy and occupational therapy. A few months later, after discussion with a neurologist, we were also advised to start physiotherapy.

That was when our real learning journey as parents truly began.

At that time, I honestly had no idea what these therapies would look like. During the initial assessments, we discussed goals, challenges, milestones, and what support our son might need. But because everything was so new to me, I misunderstood what therapy would actually be like.

In my mind, I thought therapy might work a little bit like medication. You do it for a certain amount of time, follow the plan, and then everything improves quickly.

But the reality was nothing like that.

A gentle reminder

Every child is different. Our experience may not be the same as yours, but we hope our journey gives you a realistic picture and some encouragement.

What we experienced in the beginning

1 We had to wait around 3 months

From the time we applied for support to the first real therapy session, it took about three months. The waiting felt long, but we tried to use that time to learn as much as we could.

2 We started with speech and occupational therapy

Our initial assessment helped plan the first steps. Speech therapy focused on communication and interaction, while occupational therapy looked at play, sensory needs and daily skills.

3 Physiotherapy was suggested a few months later

After reviewing our son's progress, the neurologist recommended adding physiotherapy to support his movement, strength, balance and coordination.

4 What we expected vs what really happened

I thought therapy would be like medication. Do it for some time and everything would improve quickly. Reality was nothing like that. Progress was slow and not always in a straight line.

5 First few sessions were about trust and connection

Many early sessions were not about teaching. They were about getting to know my son, building trust, understanding his likes, dislikes and how he communicates.

6 Parent involvement made the biggest difference

Therapy was not something that only happened in the clinic. It worked best when we understood the strategies and used small activities in our everyday life at home.

7 There were unexpected challenges

Therapists changed a few times, which was hard for us. We also had to do some online telehealth sessions, which did not work well for my son.

8 Five years down the road

I have sat with my son in almost every therapy session. I have seen what helps, what does not, and what truly makes a difference.

The first few sessions were not about jumping straight into big goals. They were mostly about getting to know my son, understanding how he played, what he liked, what made him uncomfortable, and how to build trust with him.

At first, I did not fully understand why that mattered so much. Later, I realised that for therapy to work, my son needed to feel safe. He needed time. He needed to trust the person in front of him.

Therapy was not a magic fix. It was a process of understanding his communication, sensory needs, movement, emotions, play, and daily challenges.

It was also about teaching us as parents how to support him better outside the therapy room. The real difference often came from what we continued doing at home in small, everyday moments.

It's a journey, not a race.

Therapy is not about changing who your child is. It is about understanding them better and supporting them to communicate, participate and live their best life.