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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 puffin

    Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you post on here a few weeks ago about your reluctance to get your son diagnosed because your husband was not supporting a formal diagnosis.  Does your son now have his diagnosis, or have you decided that telling him he has aspergers without a clinical diagnosis your answer to a difficult situation.

    I certainly hope you do have a proper diagnosis because if he later discovers he doesn't have it, the psychological damage could be profound.

    Others may disagree, but I strongly believe that you should only tell your child when you know for certain.

    Hope I'm wrong and you haven't jumped the gun as it were.

     

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  • Hi puffin

    Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you post on here a few weeks ago about your reluctance to get your son diagnosed because your husband was not supporting a formal diagnosis.  Does your son now have his diagnosis, or have you decided that telling him he has aspergers without a clinical diagnosis your answer to a difficult situation.

    I certainly hope you do have a proper diagnosis because if he later discovers he doesn't have it, the psychological damage could be profound.

    Others may disagree, but I strongly believe that you should only tell your child when you know for certain.

    Hope I'm wrong and you haven't jumped the gun as it were.

     

Children
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