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Telling Your Child They Are Autistic
Start soon after the diagnosis, say a little at a time in words that fit your child’s age, and treat it as the first of many conversations.
A two-minute read, three things to try, for ages 5 to 13.
Where to start
- Start soon after the diagnosis, and give a little information at a time.
- Link the word to what your child knows about themselves: “There’s a name for having a brain that works like yours.”
- Answer their questions directly, and let them decide who they tell.
The rest of the tip, and why it works, is in the library.
Source
National Autistic Society, Talking about and disclosing your autism diagnosis
It goes with
- Neurodiversity, and the Conversation with the School. For parents whose child has been working harder and longer than other children to do things that come more easily to them.
- The Conversations Parents Avoid. For parents who need to tell their child something hard and don’t know how to start.
The first chapter you open here is free to read in full.
Free on this subject
- Autism. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
- Neurodiversity. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
Published by Kensington Square Therapy. Company No. 16707111. Written by therapists registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). This page is not therapy, and not a substitute for professional support. The full library is at theparentbook.com.