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Hello all. I am new. My 7yo is on the spectrum. How can I best support him?

NAS50569

Hello everyone, 

I am new to this forum. I have a 7yo boy who is on the spectrum. We received a formal diagnosis a couple of months ago. It's been though on me and I have been in denial for a while as he has always been bright academically. He is very smart,  has a bubbly personality and wants to makes friends but lacks in social skills. He doesn't have many friends at school, is not invited to his peers birthday parties and is sad about it. We haven't discussed the diagnosis with him yet and his classmates are not aware.

When did you share the news with your child? with his/her classmates? Is 7yo not too early? 

Also what do you do after a diagnosis? I have enrolled in a course to get a better understanding on the asd  but I am clueless on the help that is available around. Do your children see psychologists regularly? Any information, suggestion would be very much appreciated!

Looking forward to your replies. Thank you!

Parents

  • Hiya,

    I don't think it's ever too early. i think it's a bit like 'the birds and the bees talk'. don't drown him in information that he won't understand. just explain that he has something that makes him a little different (autism) and that is why he struggles with friends and there are lots of people with the same thing that struggle with it too. but his autism is like a super power because it means that he is really clever and makes people happy etc. 

    and maybe talk to him about a going to a group with other autistic children. his classmates don't need to be told unless you/him want them to know.

    I am still trying to work out what i am supposed to do after the diagnosis. i have found that i was given the diagnosis and then had to fend for myself. personally the diagnosis was enough for me, i did my own research and started to love myself for who i am. A psychologist might not be a bad idea so they can explain it to your child as i assume they are probably quite experienced in that sort of thing.

    just make sure you talk to him about it being a good thing and it makes him really cool etc. As my cousin got a diagnosis at 8 and we totally failed at explaining and he got really upset because he thought he was missing something and was broken. We ended up telling him that he wasn't missing anything, he had something extra which meant he was even better than everyone else

    Alisha xx

Reply

  • Hiya,

    I don't think it's ever too early. i think it's a bit like 'the birds and the bees talk'. don't drown him in information that he won't understand. just explain that he has something that makes him a little different (autism) and that is why he struggles with friends and there are lots of people with the same thing that struggle with it too. but his autism is like a super power because it means that he is really clever and makes people happy etc. 

    and maybe talk to him about a going to a group with other autistic children. his classmates don't need to be told unless you/him want them to know.

    I am still trying to work out what i am supposed to do after the diagnosis. i have found that i was given the diagnosis and then had to fend for myself. personally the diagnosis was enough for me, i did my own research and started to love myself for who i am. A psychologist might not be a bad idea so they can explain it to your child as i assume they are probably quite experienced in that sort of thing.

    just make sure you talk to him about it being a good thing and it makes him really cool etc. As my cousin got a diagnosis at 8 and we totally failed at explaining and he got really upset because he thought he was missing something and was broken. We ended up telling him that he wasn't missing anything, he had something extra which meant he was even better than everyone else

    Alisha xx

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