• Replies 13 replies
  • Subscribers 65 subscribers
  • Views 2380 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

telling your child their diagnosis

simon

Hi -my son is 8 years old and diagnonsed with high functioning autism 18 months ago. He struggles with social situations, making friends and staying calm as well as managing his immense anxiety. He has a part time LSA at school.  

We have so far not told him his diagnosis as we felt it would not really help him and might be detrimental. We talk in terms of him having difficulties others don't and needing support for this reason.  However, we feel that it may be time to tell him he has ASD and then linked to this maybe to be more open about his diagnosiswith others as well. (we wouldn't do this if he doesn't know himself).

However, we don't want him to feel labelled and for this to have a negative effect. Opinion seems to be divided on whether it is a good idea to tell a child this age when they are high functioning asit is perhaps not so obvious to others with these children.  Not sure if this post makes sense...hope it does! Appreciate thoughts.  Thank you.

Parents

  • Hi Simon, my son is also 8 and high functioning ASD, but was diagnosed over a month ago, and I've still not told him. I want to be open and honest, but don't want him to feel different, and labelled. I'm not sure he has the capacity to take it all in yet. He's a curious child and I can see him googling autism, which again, I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. I think I should tell him soon, especially as he does have difficulties at school, with concentration and the social side of things. Maybe if he knew, he could deal with it better? I just don't know. He's at a funny age, he's becoming more aware of things, yet he's still quite innocent. 

Reply

  • Hi Simon, my son is also 8 and high functioning ASD, but was diagnosed over a month ago, and I've still not told him. I want to be open and honest, but don't want him to feel different, and labelled. I'm not sure he has the capacity to take it all in yet. He's a curious child and I can see him googling autism, which again, I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. I think I should tell him soon, especially as he does have difficulties at school, with concentration and the social side of things. Maybe if he knew, he could deal with it better? I just don't know. He's at a funny age, he's becoming more aware of things, yet he's still quite innocent. 

Children
No Data