My Child Was Diagnosed with Autism, Now What?
How Do I Explain My Child's Autism Diagnosis to Them?
When you first discover your child is autistic you might wonder what will be the best way to explain their diagnosis to them. We recommend choosing age and/or ability-appropriate books that can help your child understand their challenges, and celebrate their many strengths. Autism can often give your child many wonderful qualities that they can value in themselves. When teaching your child about their diagnosis, it’s helpful to guide them recognise their own strengths and difficulties and to advocate for themselves.
How to Help Your Autistic Teenager
Autistic teens can often feel misunderstood, and it can make a big difference when the people around them truly understand what they need. If you’re not autistic, it’s helpful to take time to learn about autism from autistic people. The following books are written by those with lived experience.
Parenting books
No two children are the same, and your relationship with your autistic child is entirely unique.
Parenting autistic children often requires trying different approaches to discover what works best for their individual needs.
By truly understanding and supporting your child, you can positively influence how their nervous system responds - a key principle in autism parenting.
Advocacy and Empowerment
Parents want their autistic children to be included and given equal chances for learning and developing. As you and your child grow in understanding you’ll want to explore how to help an autistic child beyond the basics. It’s important to nurture a positive sense of identity so your child can build confidence and learn to advocate for themselves.
Self-Care and Personal Growth for Parents
No child benefits from a parent who is overwhelmed or burnt out. Doing the work to meet our own needs and experience joy is as much our responsibility as caring for them. Unlearning preconceived ideas about parenting neurodivergent children can free us from unrealistic expectations.
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