Telling your children

[Guest guest]

Hi group;

I feel compelled to answer this question, having been

recently dx'd and then finding out that others in the

family have known about cmt for years.(Sue knows about

this as I E-mailed her " off the label " )

Had I known about it I may have saved some wear and

tear on the old body.

Yet since my symptoms haven't really been that

apparent until my ripe old age LOL (yes, looking back

a lot of things are explained) I may have accomplished

some things I might not have otherwise. Military

service, learning to fly airplanes, Firefighter for

25+ years, class clown among other things.

Summing up I think the decision of " when to tell " a

child depends on the severity and age of onset, the

child's mental attitude, and the parents mental

attitude. The parents symptoms severity is also a

factor in this equation as well.

" Ain't " simple is it?

Jim Nash

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

My friends have not told their eleven year-old, though they are

thinking of doing so soon. The thing is that all Aspie children and

situations vary. I can only imagine if I had been told at the age of

nine I would have likely blabbed all over the neighborhood and my

school, as was my wont back then, obtuse to the consequences of such.

On the other hand, I was also an exceptionally precocious boy who

could at least understand such things. It would help in telling the

boy if he had contact with other A.S. children, so he wouldn't feel

alone.

Rick

On 8/14/06, Roxanna <madideas@...> wrote:

>

> I think you definitely should tell him he has a dx. If he has been in sped,

etc. for all these years, it is likely he has a clue that some things are

different for him. We told my older ds when he was 10 and my younger at age 9.

Especially as the kids get older, you want them to work with you and you will

need their cooperation.

>

> Roxanna

> Re: ( ) SPECT

>

> rick,

> would you mind giving me your opinion about what i should tell andrew

> regarding his autism? i've never made it a point to sit down and explain

> anything to him. i've been very on top of things, i feel. i sensed the very

> day that he came home from the hospital that something was " off " . he's been

> in some sort of therapy or special education since he was 17 months old. i

> guess i assume that he knows that he is different and i've never felt the

> need to make it a big deal. i don't want him to feel bad about it. if you

> were me, would you have a sit down talk with your autistic child regarding

> his/her differences? he's 9 years old btw. thank you for your help.

>

> bernadette

>