Some children may be able to grasp the nature of the diagnosis at seven and eight, while for other children, it may seem too abstract, even at 16 years old. Whether the decision to share the diagnosis is being prompted by a recent evaluation, or parents have chosen to delay the conversation until the child seems ready, most children know something is different about them. In general we have found that children construct all sorts of fantasies and ideas about what is wrong with them and having a candid discussion may actually dispel some of their fears.
Below are a few suggestions to foster an open discussion with your child. It might be helpful for each of the family members, including parents, to speak about three things they are good at and three things that they struggle with. What can be difficult for the child is the feeling of having such a large split inside of them.
It can also be valuable to highlight the feeling of this dramatic chasm between the areas. It might be helpful, again depending on the age and maturity of your child, to use metaphors to talk about some of these symptoms.
For example, to explain executive functioning difficulties , you may talk about a huge pile of papers, with no folders to organize them. For emotional dysregulation , you may talk about a child whose feelings feel way too big for his little body, and for social deficits , you may talk about going to visit a foreign country and feeling like you have a hard time understanding the language or culture.
Many role models exist who speak openly and share their challenges. It can be helpful to have your child learn about different role models in pop culture or sports who have specific areas of difficulty who embrace their challenges and model optimism, perseverance and hard work. Some will have many questions and want to understand more. Other children will be resistant to talking more about it, and will want some space to process this information in their own quiet way.
The biggest gift you can give to your child is to respect her uniqueness and provide her the space and an opportunity to think and reflect about this information. You may want to enlist the help of mental health professionals to facilitate the healthy processing of some very complicated information. While it may take time, supporting this process will help empower him for success and self-actualization through hard work, insight, and understanding.
Autism Spectrum News is a quarterly print and online publication dedicated to providing parents, professionals, and individuals on the spectrum with a trusted source of science-based education, vital information and a roadmap to quality resources in the autism community. The good news is the brain is plastic and over time even if it takes a very, very, very long time new behaviors can be formed and people can learn how to better serve their partners.
To start have him take this online test we offer free. Then if he shows enough symptoms, book an appointment for neurospychological testing.
This in-depth assessment will tell him conclusively if he is on spectrum or not. Finding a trained and experienced psychologist, who has dealt with relationships involving individuals on the spectrum, can vastly assist and increase the chances of a relationship being successful.
Becoming educated on Autism Spectrum Disorder and developing an in-depth understanding of how it affects relationships will better serve both partners in maintaining a happy bond.
We offer therapy and treatment specifically for people with Aspergers. While many behaviors can be learned and unlearned, some things about your ASD partner will remain consistent over time. Conflict and acrimony will always be a source of severe stress for him. Holiday gatherings are most likely a form of torture.
Video games may help him relax — even if he seems too old to be playing them. Many people have found that finding support groups in their area have tremendously helped them cope with some of the issues of ASD relationships. You can find these groups in your city on sites like www. One of the benefits of being in a relationship with someone with ASD is that they are exceptional at certain things, though this varies from partner to partner. My client often recollects the way that she studied English literature in college and often dreamed of a man who could recite Shakespeare without faltering — and her mate had all sonnets memorized.
Remembering these special facets of your partner can help when you feel particularly frustrated in your relationship. People on the spectrum have difficulty anticipating the needs of others. While this organic anticipation might seem romantic in movies and novels, someone with ASD will most likely fail at a task such as picking a present without being given specific instructions.
Exercising straight-forwardness will most likely solve and relieve a lot of stress in your relationship. Asperger Syndrome was not a formal diagnosis until Asperger Syndrome has since been subsumed under the formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. We have yet to see how the categories will shift in the future. This could be because professionals are still learning to recognize the profile as it is expressed in girls and women. Because many adults have adapted strategies to navigate a predominantly neurotypical world, their differences might be less easy to identify than those of children which may result in fewer adults receiving an official diagnosis.
It is never too late for an individual to increase self-awareness in order to capitalize on strengths and work around areas of challenge. What one does with this information at the ages of 20, 50, or 70 may differ, but in all cases it can still offer great value and improve quality of life. At AANE, our bias is that it is better to know than not to know.
This journey can be facilitated through non-judgmental and kind support. AANE is here to help you figure this out. If you are interested in receiving a diagnosis, visit our Diagnositician Directory.
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our site. By continuing to use the site, you consent to our use of cookies. That said, many people choose to seek a diagnosis from a professional for many reasons. Below is a guide to help you navigate the current diagnostic landscape. This process can be confusing for anyone, as the designations can change from year to year, and there is on-going debate among professionals and non-professionals regarding the parameters of diagnosis.
Know that AANE is here to answer your questions. Also, know that diagnosis, by its very nature, describes broad generalizations. Here at AANE, regardless of your diagnosis, we recognize your unique experience as an individual. Working with a professional There are numerous reasons as to why someone might seek a formal diagnosis. A diagnosis is needed to request reasonable accommodations for employment under the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA.
See Adult Life Planning and Employment for more information.
0コメント