💬 What families go through · Monterrey
You’re not the only family asking this
We read about 85 recent conversations from a Facebook group of families in Monterrey. This is what comes up most. We share it without anyone’s names or details: these are experiences shared between families, not medical recommendations.
My son wants to have friends, but nobody includes him.
I asked for the appointment in May and they gave it to me for November.
Many say “ask the neurologist”, but not all of them give you options.
No autistic child should have to break on the inside to fit in on the outside.
School and inclusion
The topic that comes up most.
School and inclusion
The topic that comes up most.
What families ask
- How the move from kindergarten to elementary school will go if their child can’t stay seated or when the shortened school day ends.
- The difference between a CAM (a specialized school) and support from USAER or UDEI (special-education support teams) inside a regular school. Opinions are divided.
- Children who cry when arriving, leave the classroom or don’t want to work in class.
- Teenagers who want friends and can’t fit in.
- Schools that demand “progress” even though they already have the diagnosis.
- Where there are truly inclusive schools, with small classes.
- Visit the school before enrolling and ask whether it has USAER or UDEI.
- Give them in writing how your child communicates, what calms them and what upsets them, and ask for a meeting to agree on accommodations.
- No school should refuse to enroll your child because of their condition. See step 4 of The path.
Therapies and specialists
Recommendations by area, for the child and for mom too.
Therapies and specialists
Recommendations by area, for the child and for mom too.
What families ask
- Speech, behavioral and sensory therapy and social skills workshops close to home: Cumbres and the west side, Apodaca, Santa Catarina and downtown.
- A psychologist for mom, not just for the child.
- What a “speech therapist” is called here: in Mexico it’s the Licenciatura en Comunicación Humana (a degree in human communication), or a terapeuta de lenguaje.
- Ask other families for recommendations, and before paying, ask the questions in Watch out for…
- There are lots of ads for centers, courses and materials in the groups. Something being heavily advertised doesn’t mean it’s good.
Appointments, diagnosis and public support
Long waits and confusing paperwork.
Appointments, diagnosis and public support
Long waits and confusing paperwork.
What families ask
- How to get an appointment at DIF (family welfare agency) centers or in child psychiatry at the Hospital Universitario, and whether a referral is needed. There are waits of up to six months.
- Why a private diagnosis doesn’t count for the disability pension: it has to come from IMSS (the Mexican Social Security Institute) or another public institution.
- Problems with the Bienestar (federal welfare) app, and medications IMSS doesn’t supply.
- Ask for appointments at several places at once and start helping while you wait (step 3 of The path).
- If you’re seeking the pension, ask from the start for the diagnosis to be issued by a public institution.
- Keep copies of everything, on paper and on your phone.
Health and behavior
Meltdowns, sleep, eating and medications.
Health and behavior
Meltdowns, sleep, eating and medications.
What families ask
- Meltdowns and dysregulation, self-injurious behavior, laughing for no apparent reason, sleepiness or fever after a meltdown.
- Medications and supplements: which ones work and where to get them.
- Extreme selectivity with food, and tongue-tie: whether to clip it or work on it with exercises.
- Children who read but don’t form sentences yet. There are also many stories of progress that give hope.
- Write down when it happens, how long it lasts and what happened before, and record a video. Take it to the pediatric neurologist.
- Sudden changes, repeated episodes or behaviors that hurt your child should be checked soon with their doctor.
- Don’t start or change medications or supplements without their doctor, even if they worked for another family.
Exhaustion and family life
Caregivers need care too.
Exhaustion and family life
Caregivers need care too.
What families share
- The exhaustion of moms, dads and grandmothers who care: “your well-being is not negotiable”.
- Couples under strain or separating, and single moms without child support.
- Raffles and events to pay for therapies, tests and medications, and small home businesses for flexible income.
- Accepting autism as part of their child, against the pressure to “get rid of it”.
- For child support or family matters there’s free legal advice at the Defensoría Pública (public defender’s office) and at the DIF.
- If you feel you can’t go on, Línea de la Vida (national crisis line) answers for free, 24 hours: 800 911 2000.
- Reach out to other families. Hearing “that happened to us too” helps a lot.
What’s missing, and what we want to build together
These needs come up again and again. They’re Mi Voz’s to-do list.
- Clear information in one place about paperwork: DIF, IMSS, the pension and the Bienestar app. We’ve already started with the directory.
- A reliable directory of therapies by area and price.
- Guidance for choosing a school (CAM, USAER or regular) and defending your child’s rights.
- Emotional and legal support for moms who are caregivers.
- Ways to afford therapies, tests and medications.
Summary made in October 2026 from recent posts and comments in a Facebook group of families in Monterrey. We don’t include names, photos or details of any family, and the phrases are paraphrased.
What’s next?
News and progress
What’s new about autism in Monterrey, Mexico and the world, checked and explained for families.
Open →For listening
Podcasts and audiobooks about autism and ADHD in Spanish, free and paid, and which to avoid.
Open →Autism in numbers
How many autistic children there are, waits and costs in Mexico, with sources and no personal data.
Open →