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Telling daughter she is PDA Autistic

West1986

Hello all 

Recently joined the society my daughter is 6 and in the last year has had a confirmed diagnosis of autism with a PDA profile. School has been a struggle but we managed to get more support for her and now have an EHCP in place when she starts year 2 this September. We haven't told her yet but I have the sense she already has a sense she is different and don't want to keep her in the dark. I am thinking of starting the conversation with her before she starts year two so I can work on making her more self aware. Does anyone have any advice on this? How did you talk to your children about this? When did you tell your children? Any regrets? 

Thanks so much 

Parents

  • Hello West1986,


    We told our 6 year old daughter a few days ago. We were waiting for her to ask a question that may help us gently bring on the topic. What helped us was that we picked up a sunflower linyard for her and she asked why. We told her it is to help people with hidden differences (not "disabilities", the word sounds too negative and scary) let other people know that they are different so they (other people) accept them (people with hidden differences) as they are, without judgement.

    We presented the word "autistic" to our daughter by linking it to things that she has noticed about herself: her speech delay, and feeling that things that look easy for other children are difficult for her. We insisted that it's not a disease, just the way her brain works, that we are here to support her, as are all the adults from school, that we love her and that she can talk to us or adults at school if she's worried.

    So far, she's only brought it up again once. So I know she's understood it and she seems to have taken it as well as possible.

    Hope that helps.

    Good luck in letting your daughter know.

Reply

  • Hello West1986,


    We told our 6 year old daughter a few days ago. We were waiting for her to ask a question that may help us gently bring on the topic. What helped us was that we picked up a sunflower linyard for her and she asked why. We told her it is to help people with hidden differences (not "disabilities", the word sounds too negative and scary) let other people know that they are different so they (other people) accept them (people with hidden differences) as they are, without judgement.

    We presented the word "autistic" to our daughter by linking it to things that she has noticed about herself: her speech delay, and feeling that things that look easy for other children are difficult for her. We insisted that it's not a disease, just the way her brain works, that we are here to support her, as are all the adults from school, that we love her and that she can talk to us or adults at school if she's worried.

    So far, she's only brought it up again once. So I know she's understood it and she seems to have taken it as well as possible.

    Hope that helps.

    Good luck in letting your daughter know.

Children
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