I built the place I needed when he was 3.
My son was little, the waits were long, and I was told nothing could happen until a diagnosis. This is the support I went looking for.
My son was 3 when his daycare teacher and my sister-in-law both told me he might be autistic. I thought he was just quiet. I was given very little direction, so I spent the night researching where to even start.
I reached out to our local regional center. It took a week for them to process our information and get back to me. They did the intake, and then there was an 18-month waiting list to get him in for a diagnosis. I called his doctor, and she said she would put in a referral too. Those waits were even longer. All the while, I was told no one could do anything until he had a diagnosis.
I had to find a provider on the approved list, after a lot of outreach, and pay out of pocket just to get him assessed. That was not the end of it. Once we had the diagnosis, the question was what came next. We were given a 100-page resource that overwhelms you, and then you start the work of getting ABA going and working with the school.
I am a very analytical parent. I dove deep over the years to find the resources, the guides, and some proper direction. It was hard. I wanted a platform like this, where families can find plain resources and guides, and people who will help along the way. Every new change in my son's life is a learning curve, and I want this to be a place of support for parents who could use some. My son is part of it too. He helps other kids with coping skills and with moving through changes in their lives.
Renee
Founder and parent
What we believe
Parent-led
This started with one parent who needed a clearer path. The guides are written that way: what to do next, in ordinary language.
Different is brilliant
Autism is not a tragedy to manage. We talk about the hard parts honestly, and we keep sight of a child's strengths.
Plain language
No jargon walls. The point is to turn a long wait, a binder, and a stack of acronyms into a next step you can actually take.
Your information stays yours
Beyond Typical does not sell your family's information. The directory and the guides are here to help, not to turn parents into a product.
Our mission
Make the stretch around an autism diagnosis less lonely. Give parents plain-language guides, a way to look for help, and people who will walk with them — including the kids who are learning to help each other.
How this stays free to read
The guides stay free to read. Donations and the sensory store are how we plan to cover hosting, moderation, and family grants. There are no ads, and your data is not the product.
Come say hi.
Read a guide, look through the directory, or join when you are ready.