Free family checklist
You do not have to solve the next ten years this week.
Start with the decisions that protect your child, reduce uncertainty, and keep good records.
A calmer place to begin
The first months can become a blur of referrals, waitlists, bills, and advice. This checklist helps you make the next useful move without pretending every family needs the same plan.
This resource is educational and does not replace medical, legal, or educational advice.
The First 90 Days
Days 1–14: get your footing
- Ask for a written copy of the diagnosis or evaluation
- Write down the questions you still have
- List the daily needs that affect safety, pain, sleep, eating, communication, or school
- Check your insurance deductible, copays, referral rules, and appeal process
- Start one folder for reports, bills, school records, and notes
Days 15–45: build the team
- Ask which specialists are appropriate for your child's specific needs
- Join waitlists even when the wait feels unreasonable
- Request school or early-intervention evaluations in writing
- Ask each provider how progress will be measured
- Track what helps at home: routines, visuals, AAC, movement, music, or sensory supports
Days 46–90: choose your priorities
- Choose two or three outcomes that would most improve the child's quality of life
- Review total out-of-pocket costs before agreeing to a plan
- Decide what you will try, for how long, and what evidence will tell you whether it helped
- Schedule a check-in with the school or care team
- Write down what is getting better. Progress is easy to miss when you are tired.