Question about DS diagnosed with ASD this week

[Dannygirl]

Hi there my DS aged nearly 10 was diagnosed with ASD this week. Although they don't diagnose types any more she said it would be Aspergers in old money. It wasn't a huge shock and there was significant evidence of impairment / difficulty in almost all the ICD10 criteria (exceptions were language skills). My question is thinking about how we can support him especially in social interaction and communication. I am really torn between teaching him things that don't come naturally so as to help him e.g. in terms of picking up social cues and appropriate things to say / ways to behave vs. him feeling he has to try to be what he isn't just to fit in with NT types. Which obviously could cause big problems later on. Sorry I guess it's a bit of a big question but would really welcome others' views who have been through this. Am sure I will have many more questions in the months ahead! Thanks so much x

[Polter]

My feeling is that it's most helpful to teach our kids in a way which gives them the tools and skills to interact as confident beings but without losing their own sense of self. Talk about things like how and why people might behave as they do, what's popular and why, help develop self-esteem, assertiveness and a sense of humour. Natural history documentaries (eg David Attenborough) are a great way to develop skills to help understand other creatures (or humans!) who communicate differently!

[Dannygirl]

That's a lovely way of thinking about it Polter thanks so much