Re: I need help to explain autism to my dx'd son

[Guest guest]

Hi!

When my son was able to understand, I began with sharing that people are

different. People have different colored skin, hair, some people swim really

well, etc. I say it is not bad, just different. Then I said and always remember

that being different is ok.

I then told him that people are also different in how they learn. Some people

learn things fast, for some it takes longer. Some peoples brains work

differently and remember, different is ok.

I then said you are diagnosed with (not you have) autism. With autism you learn

differently. Your brain works differently. Some things you learn quickly like

(highlight strengths) and some things take longer like (give 1 or 2 examples).

ALWAYS remind him that being different is NOT A BAD THING.

That worked for my son until he was a bit older and I could share a more

in-depth version.

You want to ALWAYS highlight his strengths. I said you know how you do...,well

some people can't do that.

ALWAYS end your conversations (we had several) with a positive reflection of a

strength.

Hope that helps.

Terri

Sent from my Verizon Wireless smartphone

staceydaniel@... wrote:

>Hi group,

>

>Can anyone suggest a good book or throw some ideas my way to discuss autism

with my 12 year old son. He is HF and in the 7th grade but was recently

featured on Fox 5 news because of some great accomplishments and for the first

time, I believe he is faced with trying to understand his differences. In fact,

I don't think he really understood that he was different at all until the news

clip was on tv and it said he had autism and struggled. He asked me what did

" struggling " mean. While I want him to understand some things may be harder, I

don't want him to internalize that he doesn't have to try because of autism. We

are facing puberty and explanations like this and I am not sure what to say.

>

>Can anyone here throw out some advice or suggest a good book for me to read

with him that would help explain his diagnosis in terms that make sense to him?

>

>Thanks everyone,

>

>Stacey

>