Helping Your Child Come to Terms with his "Diagnosis"
"How do I help my 12 year old son to come to terms with his diagnosis and help him understand that it is not the end of the world? " ASD Level 1 (High-Functioning Autism) is a "spectrum" disorder; those who have it experience various symptoms, exhibiting a range of behaviors. People with the disorder have a different way of thinking, concentrating on special interests. Many can speak eloquently and have extraordinary abilities in engineering, computer science, and systematic thinking, yet have serious difficulties with social interaction and functioning in the world. However, the disorder is not the end of world; it is treatable. It is very normal for your son (and you) to react with sadness, self pity, anger, or depression when you receive the diagnosis. You are mourning the life you thought you were going to have. But that does not mean that you won’t have a good life; it will just be different. If your son is willing, discuss with him his diagno