# Neurosphere

> Plain-language, sourced resources for parents of autistic and neurodivergent children in Montreal and Quebec: early signs, the public and private assessment path, money and benefits, what actually helps, and a community of parents who get it.

Site: https://neurosphere.club
Language: en-CA (French mirror planned)
Audience: parents and caregivers of autistic and neurodivergent children, ages 0 to 7 mainly, in Montreal and Quebec.
Not clinical advice. No child health data is collected. Email list requires explicit Law 25 consent.

Every resource page is also available as plain markdown at the same URL with a .md suffix. The whole library is at /llms-full.txt.

## Start here (by moment)

- [I'm worried](https://neurosphere.club/start/worried): Is this autism, or am I overreacting?
- [We're waiting for an assessment](https://neurosphere.club/start/waiting): What do we do while we wait?
- [We just got a diagnosis](https://neurosphere.club/start/diagnosed): What does this mean, and what do I do first?
- [We've been at this a while](https://neurosphere.club/start/settled): Are we doing the right things? What comes next?

## Recognition

- [Early signs of autism by age: 12, 18, 24 and 36 months](https://neurosphere.club/resources/early-signs-by-age): What clinicians look for at 12, 18, 24 and 36 months: pointing, response to name, gaze, play, language. For a worried parent on a phone at night. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [M-CHAT-R/F explained: what the toddler autism screen means](https://neurosphere.club/resources/m-chat-r-f-explained): What the M-CHAT-R/F screens for, what a positive or negative result really means, and how to bring it to your doctor or CLSC in Quebec. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Lost words and skills: regression is a red flag, not a phase](https://neurosphere.club/resources/lost-words-regression): Your toddler used to say words, wave or point, and has stopped. Why losing skills is a reason to act now, and where to start in Quebec. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [What to say to your doctor about autism concerns in Quebec](https://neurosphere.club/resources/what-to-say-to-your-doctor): A short script for the appointment, what to bring, and how the Quebec referral route starts (CLSC, family doctor, Agir tôt). How to answer 'wait and see'. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Girls, quiet kids and masking: why autism gets missed](https://neurosphere.club/resources/girls-quiet-kids-and-masking): Why autistic girls and quiet, compliant children are recognized later, what masking looks like at 3 to 6, and what to watch for when school says all is fine. (evidence: moderate; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Autism, ADHD, language delay: the overlap at age 2](https://neurosphere.club/resources/autism-adhd-language-delay-overlap): At 2, autism, ADHD, language delay and global delay look alike and the label can shift. Why that lowers the stakes, and why the supports overlap too. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## The Quebec pathway

- [Waiting is not wait-and-see: what to start now in Quebec](https://neurosphere.club/resources/waiting-is-not-wait-and-see): On a 6–24 month autism assessment queue in Quebec? Agir tôt, CLSC early stimulation, daycare support and parent strategies can start before any diagnosis. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Public or private autism assessment in Quebec? A decision guide](https://neurosphere.club/resources/public-or-private-assessment-quebec): Free through the CLSC with a 6–24 month queue, or $1,600–$4,200 private. When paying is worth it, when it is not, and how to do both at once. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Who does what: autism professionals in Quebec, explained](https://neurosphere.club/resources/who-does-what-professions): Pediatrician, psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, orthophoniste, ergothérapeute, psychoeducator, TES, social worker: who diagnoses, who treats, which door first. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Agir tôt, CLSC, CPE and school: the Quebec map for ages 0–7](https://neurosphere.club/resources/agir-tot-clsc-cpe-school): How Quebec's system fits together for an autistic child aged 0–7: Agir tôt, CLSC and CIUSSS access, daycare allowances, and the school plan d'intervention. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [The first 100 days after an autism diagnosis, Quebec edition](https://neurosphere.club/resources/first-100-days-quebec): A calm week-by-week plan for Quebec parents after the report: breathe, decode, paperwork (SEH, DTC), CLSC and daycare, then family, siblings and you. (evidence: editorial; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Decoding your child's autism assessment report](https://neurosphere.club/resources/decoding-the-assessment-report): DSM-5 levels, co-occurring notes, scores and the recommendations section in plain language, and how to use the report with CLSC, CPE, school and benefits. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Money families leave unclaimed: autism benefits in Quebec](https://neurosphere.club/resources/money-benefits-quebec): SEH from Retraite Québec, the federal Disability Tax Credit (T2201), Child Disability Benefit, RDSP and medical expense credits, in the order to apply. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## What actually helps

- [What Helps Early: Parent-Mediated Approaches Explained](https://neurosphere.club/resources/what-helps-early-parent-mediated): PACT, JASPER, ESDM and ImPACT coach you, not just your child. What the evidence says, what it looks like at home, and how to ask for it in Quebec. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [AAC, Signs and Devices Do Not Delay Speech](https://neurosphere.club/resources/aac-and-signs-do-not-delay-speech): Signs, picture boards and speech devices do not stop a child from talking; reviews across decades say the opposite. The fear, and what to do instead. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [The Hours Myth: Intervention Intensity vs Fit](https://neurosphere.club/resources/hours-myth-intensity-vs-fit): Nobody has shown that 40 hours a week beats a well-matched program. What the meta-analyses actually say, and how to judge fit instead of counting hours. (evidence: contested; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [ABA: A Fair Page for Quebec Parents](https://neurosphere.club/resources/aba-a-fair-page): What ABA is, what changed, why many autistic adults oppose it, a good program versus red flags, and how ICI works in Quebec's public system. (evidence: contested; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Diets, Supplements and Biomedical Claims: Honest Table](https://neurosphere.club/resources/diets-supplements-honest-claims): Gluten-free diets, omega-3, vitamin D, B6, probiotics, chelation: what we can say, what we can't, and what people claim anyway. Cochrane-sourced. (evidence: strong; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Screens and Neurodivergent Kids: Honest Claims](https://neurosphere.club/resources/screens-honest-claims): Screens do not cause autism. They do push bedtime later. What the evidence supports, what it doesn't, and rules that respect a family running on empty. (evidence: mixed; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## Regulation

- [Sensory Systems and the Regulation Ladder](https://neurosphere.club/resources/sensory-systems-and-the-regulation-ladder): The eight senses in plain words, why some children over- or under-respond, and a simple ladder parents can use at home to spot overwhelm early and help. (evidence: mixed; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Meltdown vs Tantrum, and a Meltdown Plan](https://neurosphere.club/resources/meltdown-vs-tantrum-and-a-plan): How to tell a meltdown from a tantrum, what to do during and after one, how to have fewer, and a printable-style plan for your family and the people around you. (evidence: moderate; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Movement and the Developing Brain, 0 to 6](https://neurosphere.club/resources/movement-and-the-brain): What the evidence really says about movement, attention and regulation in young autistic and ADHD children, what is overstated, and what to do at home. (evidence: mixed; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## Daily life

- [Sleep in Autistic and ADHD Children](https://neurosphere.club/resources/sleep): Why sleep is hard for so many autistic and ADHD kids, what actually helps (routine before gadgets), what to know about melatonin in Canada, and what to try this week. (evidence: moderate; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Music and Autism: What the Evidence Supports](https://neurosphere.club/resources/music-and-autism): What music therapy research really shows for autistic children, what it does not, and how to use music at home without turning it into therapy homework. (evidence: mixed; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Nature, Water and Calm Outings in Montreal](https://neurosphere.club/resources/nature-water-and-calm-outings): Why green time helps attention and regulation, why water safety is non-negotiable for autistic children, and a calm-morning outing model with Montreal options. (evidence: mixed; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## The family system

- [Parent burnout: your nervous system is the tool](https://neurosphere.club/resources/parent-burnout-co-regulation-first): Why parents of autistic children burn out, what parent-support trials actually show, and concrete ways to steady yourself first. Quebec help included. (evidence: moderate; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Telling family, grandparents, and your child about autism](https://neurosphere.club/resources/telling-family-grandparents-and-your-child): Scripts for telling relatives, handling the 'he'll grow out of it' grandparent, and explaining autism to your child, younger and plainer than you expect. (evidence: editorial; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Siblings and fathers: the two family members who get overlooked](https://neurosphere.club/resources/siblings-and-fathers): What the research says about brothers, sisters and dads of autistic children, what actually helps them, and what to say. Written for Montreal families. (evidence: moderate; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## Identity and the long view

- [Is that me? Heredity and a parent's own diagnosis](https://neurosphere.club/resources/is-that-me-heredity): Recognizing yourself while reading about your child's autism or ADHD is common: both are strongly inherited. What it changes, and why it may be an advantage. (evidence: moderate; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [What autistic adults wish their parents had known](https://neurosphere.club/resources/what-autistic-adults-wish-parents-knew): Stimming, masking, autonomy and honest prognosis, from what autistic adults keep telling parents. Affirming, without pretending support needs away. (evidence: editorial; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## Montreal and community

- [Montreal autism and neurodiversity directory for parents](https://neurosphere.club/resources/montreal-directory): Montreal access points, organizations, English parent groups and private-clinic cost ranges for families of autistic children. Reviewed every six months. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [Podcasts, books, newsletters and communities worth your time](https://neurosphere.club/resources/podcasts-books-newsletters-communities): A short, opinionated list for parents of autistic and ADHD children: who is speaking from lived experience, who is a clinician, what is Quebec or French. (evidence: editorial; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## About this site

- [Autism statistics for Canada and Quebec: the verified few](https://neurosphere.club/resources/statistics-appendix): Prevalence and diagnosis-gap numbers for Canada and Quebec, each with its source and year. Fewer figures, all checked, none from memory. (evidence: mixed; reviewed 2026-09-03)
- [How this site works: evidence rubric, sources and corrections](https://neurosphere.club/resources/methodology-and-corrections): Neurosphere's evidence levels, source rule, review cadence, public corrections log and how to report an error. Read this before you trust anything else here. (evidence: official; reviewed 2026-09-03)

## Community

- [Meetups and email list](https://neurosphere.club/community): small calm meetups in Montreal; next is Calm Morning at the Montreal Science Centre, Sunday, October 25, 2026.
- [About](https://neurosphere.club/about)
- [Contact](https://neurosphere.club/contact)

## Optional

- [RSS](https://neurosphere.club/rss)
- [Sitemap](https://neurosphere.club/sitemap.xml)