How did you tell your child about their Diagnosis?

Hi.  We had a book written from a child's perspective...something called What is Aspergers Syndrome...soRory I can't remember the title but we got it on Amazon.I had been reading it and showed it to mdaughter and as she read the recognition of herself struck and she kept saying 'that's just like me!'. And then she said 'i have Aspergers syndrome!'. I asked her why she thought that was the case and she told me it was because she was like the boy in the book which was a positive thing for her because she had been complaining for so long that she felt different to everyone else in her class and had no friends.

We deliberately gave her the book immediately before we visited her clinical psychologist to discuss the diagnosis.  We wanted her to be mentally prepared but also to have access to a professional person with whom to ask any questions.  We framed it as an extremely positive thing.  Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and as someone with As there may be certain things that she would find easiediff ore difficult, but  this was just like everyone else in the world.  

By the time we'd finished her younger sister said she wanted to have Aspergers too!  

Mdaughter goes through times when she is upset she has it and other times when she feels like it is an 'unfair advantage' o er others because of her astonishing memory or advanced musical skills.  Nonetheless, a year after diagnosis she seems to accept it as just one part of what makes her herself and she is able to communicate openly about who she wants to know and who she doesn't, when she is happy or when she wishes she didn't have it.

Good luck with breaking the news!

Hi there,

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Many thanks

Alex R - mod

Hi Jambert,

if you are interested in books for children there is a reading list on the NAS website, here:

http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/autism-and-asperger-syndrome-an-introduction/reading-lists/autism-books-for-children-and-young-people.aspx

There might be something useful there.

philippab - mod

Yeah, I understood what you meant, but I think in your situation, where the child is relatively young and is asking questions, then the simplest solution is to just answer the questions as and when they're asked - let him direct you in how much he wishes to know - as he get's older he will probably then also seek more information by and for himself.

I think giving him an 'everything an autistic child needs to know about autism' book, or even leaflet, is more likely to leave him overwhelmed.

If he was older and in denial, then I'd suggest getting a book and leaving it somewhere where he might pick it up and read it.

Yes that goes without saying BUT I was hoping there might be some thing I can leave him with to read and then he can process and then ask questions.

Just answer his questions openly and honestly, perhaps?