Talking with Your Child About Their Autism Diagnosis: A Guide for Parents

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.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements.

Preface.

Part One - Talking to your child about their autism diagnosis.

1. Are you ready for 'the autism talk'?
2. What do you know about autism? Fact vs fiction.
3. Why tell your child they have autism?
4. When is the right time to talk to your child?
5. How do you tell your child they have autism?
6. What do you tell your child?
7. A personal journey.
8. The autism talk.
9. Troubleshooting.

Part Two - Telling others about your child's autism diagnosis.

10. Why should I share my child's diagnosis with others?
11. Common concerns of parents.
12. Who should you tell about your child's diagnosis?
13. What should you tell others about your child?
14. How should you share your child's autism diagnosis?
15. Troubleshooting. Part Three - Resources.
16. Photocopiable worksheets.
17. Helpful books, videos and websites. Bibliography.

"A fantastic, comprehensive resource that answers the vast range of questions that parents can have about this important topic. All is sensitively and clearly explained, with real life scenarios, easy to use worksheets and troubleshooting for every eventuality. Highly recommended."
- Davida Hartman, Director and Senior Educational and Child Psychologist, The Children's Clinic, Dublin