New Diagnosis

Hi Nick, you are correct-the diagnosis doesn't change who your son is(Likely that all who love your son recognise this too).To feel emotional,to express emotion following diagnosis is fine and to not feel emotional,to not express emotion is fine too .(My 14year old daughter received a diagnosis of ASD a few weeks ago-I felt an immediate sense of relief when I heard this news , my daughter feels good about her diagnosis too. The diagnosis is recognition that my daughter does experience difficulties that many other people/neurotypical people do not experience and seem to find it difficult to acknowledge and therefore understand.My daughter's diagnosis offers an explanation of why she has feels 'different'. The fatigue, anxiety ,sensory issues... my daughter experiences, are symptoms of her ASD-not a case of her being 'too sensitive and needing to toughen up 'not a 'figment of her imagination', not .'exaggerated and dramatic', not 'lazy',not the result of 'bad parenting and lack of discipline'...For so long other people(particularly school) have not been willing to listen to me and my daughter, they have not acknowledged that the way she experiences the world can be very difficult.The diagnosis has already helped my daughter as it has led to her receiving professional help suited to her needs.It makes my daughter feel good as she recognises that other people are on her side and are willing to listen and show understanding,my daughter feels empowered by her diagnosis-prior to diagnosis she felt extremely isolated and fed up feeling different.Most significantly,my daughter's diagnosis is helping her to accept herself.The day after my daughter received her diagnosis she stated-'thank you mum,you are the only person that has listened to me,you are the person that has helped me and the only person I have been able to trust to do the right thing,I didn't like going to CAHMS,I know it has been difficult for you and for me but I think it has had to be difficult before things could get better.My diagnosis makes sense ,nothing made sense before this'.Within a few weeks I have seen a dramatic change in my daughter's sense of self worth, she is now feeling so much more comfortable within herself ).Nick ,your son's diagnosis can help him/you ,his mother at this early stage in his life to gain access to sources of help and support -if and when he needs it,you have fought hard for him to date and he will attend a school most likely best to suit his specific needs,a school that will respect his diagnosis and help him to grow and develop,as he gets older the diagnosis could help him understand and accept himself .I hope my response helps in some way.X