Talking Together About An Autism Diagnosis

At The National Autistic Society we are often asked about how best to talk to someone about their autism diagnosis. We feel that a person with autism has the right to know their diagnosis. Wanting to protect someone from their diagnosis can feel like the kindest thing to do, but in reality it often gets harder the longer it is delayed. There are definite advantages to talking about the diagnosis, but these vary between individuals. Many people have commented that they would like to have known earlier because knowing their diagnosis came as a relief and a source of comfort. This book offers a wealth of advice and guidance. Aimed primarily at parents and carers of younger children, it includes helpful information also for schools and for people working with adults with autism.

Telling your child about their autism diagnosis can be daunting. Will they be better off for knowing? What's the right way to tell them? Should you inform anyone else too? As a mother of two children on the spectrum, with over ten years' experience as a psychologist specialising in childhood autism, Raelene Dundon has all the tips you'll need. In this concise book, she sets out case studies, examples and resources that will equip you to make your own informed choices and help your whole family to live well with autism. Part One provides ways to tell children of different ages and development levels about their diagnosis, including photocopiable and downloadable worksheets designed to help diagnosed children understand autism, and gives advice on what to do if they react in a negative or unexpected way to the news. Part Two explores the pros and cons of sharing the diagnosis with others, including family, friends, school staff and your child's classmates, and guides you through what to do if others don't understand or accept the diagnosis.

My Autism Book is a beautifully illustrated picture book that helps parents to explain an autism diagnosis to their child in a sensitive, positive and accurate way. When a child is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), parents often feel overwhelmed and uncertain about how to communicate the diagnosis to their child. This book is designed to be read with the child as a simple introduction to their diagnosis. Written by a doctor and a children's author, the book is tailored precisely to the needs and experiences of the child with ASD aged 5 and up. It explains what an autism diagnosis means and encourages an exploration of the child's likely strengths and differences using clear language that speaks directly to the child. The colourful pictures throughout show how the world looks from the child's perspective and the book ends with a summary checklist to encourage the child to record and discuss how autism affects them.

Empowering and practical, this guide is the perfect companion for parents who are finding it difficult to tell their children about their autism diagnosis. It provides a realistic yet uplifting approach to autism, treating it not as a disability but as a difference. Not telling children about their autism diagnosis can have a significant negative impact on their mental health; by equipping parents with a language of positivity around autism, the book will make a difference to many children on the spectrum. It advises on how and when to talk to autistic children with both high and low care needs, and provides guidance on supporting children's relationships with peers at school, as well as how to broach the conversation with the child's siblings. Concise and easy to read, The Little Book of Autism FAQs answers parents' questions with accessible language, preparing them to approach this difficult conversation in a constructive manner.

This book explores adult experiences of autism diagnosis. Focusing on the experiences of 21 interviewees, the structure of the book mirrors the seven stages undergone upon diagnosis, and raises important questions about modern society and the self, amidst this life-changing news. Analysing a broad range of empirical interview data including adults who had experiences of other diagnoses, and adults who seemed to function normally before their autism diagnosis, the authors use these stories to examine how autism diagnosis can be extremely important and helpful, but also generate a great deal of negativity. Illuminating a range of testimonies that have previously been kept in the shadows, this book will not only appeal to students and scholars of autism in adults, but also to practitioners as well as adults who have been diagnosed with autism.

Talking to family and friends about a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Autism, can be a little daunting, however if you are prepared with information and understanding the task will be made much easier. This book will offer lots of information for families, friends and others to use in helping to disclose a diagnosis.

We all have a picture in our heads of what life will be like as a parent. But what happens when it isn’t like that? This is the gut-wrenching reality for many parents of children diagnosed with, or awaiting a diagnosis of, autism. In It Takes a Village, Lhara writes honestly and openly about her extensive experience as a parent of three amazing autistic children. Sheconsiders the practical difficulties and emotional challenges many parents of autistic children struggle with, and also shares some of the joys of life with a neurodiverse child, presenting a raw insight into her reality as a parent navigating the world of autism with her three children. This book blends Lhara’s family’s experiences with expert research and literature, to offer realistic and practical ideas and solutions for helping your child and your family. More than anything, It Takes a Village offers reassurance that you’re not alone on your journey through autism as a parent. Lhara shares her experiences of assessment and diagnosis, along with parenting her children through issues such as peer rejection in school, challenging behaviour and managing changes and transitions. She also offers her candid experiences of times when she felt she couldn’t cope, and discusses coping when you’re not coping. It Takes a Village provides invaluable advice and support to the parents of autistic children, but will also prove useful to teachers, psychologists and all those working with autistic children. It offers hope on the darkest days to parents who are feeling overwhelmed, and celebrates the wonders of neurodiversity.

Based on direct work with over 250 individual children, Andrew Miller wrote this book in order to provide parents and professionals with information, tools and guidance to help introduce children to autism in the absence of specialist support. This in-depth guide describes the practicalities of disclosure, including when to tell, who should do it and what they need to know beforehand with strategies to tailor your approach as every child's experience will be different. Step-by-step instructions detail how to deliver the programme and produce with a child a personalised booklet containing information about their personal attributes and their autism. These booklets and follow-up material help make disclosure a positive and constructive experience for everyone. Accompanying material can be downloaded online including questionnaires, examples of children's booklets and flexible templates.