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Have you told your child about their diagnosis?

SomeRandomMother - posted on 05/24/2011 ( 4 moms have responded )

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This is a conversation we often have with friends who have kids on The Spectrum and I was wondering where everyone is at. We told our son about six months after we got the diagnosis, once we understood what Aspergers was. He was almost eight and we told him that his brain works differently than most people, not better, not worse ... just different. We talked about the things his really good at and the things he struggles with. We talked about famous people who have Aspergers or Aspergian tendencies and we told him that Asperger's is no excuse for bad behaviour or giving up.

So have you told your child? Why or why not? And if you have how did you do it and how did they take it?

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Courtney - posted on 11/10/2011

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my son is 5 and a half and was recently diagnosed. He was in the room when we were given the diagnosis. He always knew he was different, he would tell us that :) So that really wasn't an issue for us.

Jennifer - posted on 08/23/2011

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I've been wondering how to explain to my son who just turned 7 that he has High Functioning Autism. Thank you for your post. I'm just taking it day by day, he's never asked questions about why he has certain behavioral & emotional issues, so I guess I just never thought to tell him that he has this label. But in a way it might help him if he knows what it is and that it's not weird or bad or anything, just different and that his brain works a little differently than some kids up at school.

Maybe you can answer this, whenever I take him to events involving Autism or special needs kids, what do I tell him? He is at that age now that he is aware of everything and asking more and more questions, plus I just feel like he should know why we are going to an HFA playgroup for example. What's a good way to expalin it to him?

Thanks!

SomeRandomMother - posted on 06/06/2011

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I'm so sorry your son had this experience!

We have never run into anything like that, although MY son pointed out that the name sounded like 'a rude kind of hamburger'. Every school year he tells his class that he has ASD, what it is and why he sometimes does things a little differently than other kids. This year the recource teacher helped him make a power point presentation for his class. He also gave this presentation to the classroom aides at his school. We have had a very positive experience so far but we always let Dude take the lead on who and how to tell.

Lisa - posted on 06/06/2011

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I did much the same thing as you except I told the teacher the label and she told the grade 2 class and from then on they called my son an "ass"burger. So. I agree that you need to use the label to receive assistance only when absolutely necessary. The label helps get assistance and coping strategies and expertise in systems. What counts is UNCONDITIONAL LOVE! Hope this helps. Lisa

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