Son Diagnosis

Hi there, 

Thanks for your post. How are you feeling since the diagnosis came through? 

I should say immediately that I don't have children so I can't offer parenting advice exactly, but I was a child once so I can offer a viewpoint from that perspective. When I was about 8 I was diagnosed with dyspraxia and I my mother and I had very open and frank discussions about what that meant. They didn't go into lots of medical details, but they did explain that my brain was a bit different to other peoples and that I learn differently to other people. They explained I would be given extra time in exams and tests and that I would have extra classes at school to help me with subject I struggled with. My mum also employed a tutor who would visit after school.

I took this information very much in my stride - you don't have anyone else to compare yourself to at that age particularly. I would just probably stress that it doesn't make him different in a bad way - just that he has a special way of looking at the world. 

One way or another I think we probably need to err on the side of giving our kids more information than less, especially when it is something they're going to be living with for their whole lives. Maybe seek out child friendly resources that he can read in his own time, if it is too much to take in all in one go. And make it *abundantly clear* that he can talk to you about anything or ask you any questions. 

Good luck and let us know how things go