Transcript

ILONA:

On balance, do you think it was helpful having a formal diagnosis?

ARABELLA:

I think it was very helpful. I think after the initial sort of period of-- you take some time to sort of get your thoughts together and get your mind in gear of how you're going to turn what seems like a depressing diagnosis to the positive.

But once you've got there, it's incredibly-- it's so clear in your mind. There aren't any questions anymore. It's not like you have to worry about, is my child autistic? Isn't she?

All of the peer pressures from family saying that they think she's, she's just a slow developer, or she'll get there in the end, you can say to them, no, this is the case. This is what we're dealing with. Now we have to work together to help them. So yeah. I think it is positive.