Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi there
My 8 year old niece finally received her diagnosis of HFA late last year. She is a clever girl, very academic, very athletic, has deep social anxiety and selective autism. My sister has done a wonderful job of helpful Ng her develop a sense of self but struggles with a few things:
If there is any advice at all that you could share, we would be so grateful.
Hi!
Below I have linked to a few videos that may help to explain autistic identity to your niece:
Explaining Autistic Experience to Children:
https://youtu.be/GOTdEi9_SI4?si=dhzvSWU2P96WXGGh
This first video may give your sister some ideas about how to explain autistic identity to her daughter. It suggests that you can start the conversation about being autistic by describing general differences in the environment for example in nature and then specifically discusses the autistic brain.
The second video includes experiences of autistic children who explain being autistic very simply. It also contains quotes from autistic children explaining what anxiety feels like as well as masking which your niece may find relatable:
Amazing Kids:
https://youtu.be/RBkiIHWybV4?si=E3uvQxKpUPeea21S
Alternatively if you think your niece may like to read a book about being autistic, The Secret Life of Rose’ is great.
It is written by an autistic child and their autistic parent. It explains experiences of school based anxiety and masking so may resonate with your niece:
The Secret Life of Rose: Inside An Autistic Head https://amzn.eu/d/cCVTGOc
I hope these ideas encourage a positive conversation about being autistic for your niece!