How did you explain aspergers/autism diagnosis to your child

[MrsBrollyhook]

We finally had a diagnosis of aspergers for our 10 year old DD last week. No surprise and a relief in many ways. But now the question of how to explain it to her? And advice on how to explain it in a positive way?

Same here. Dd was dx in January this year aged 11. We don't really get any support either. I'm still having to fight for OT etc to help us work out where/why/how school can help and support her.

I told/tell dd her ASD explains why she struggles with some things/finds some situations difficult/has angry fits etc (her brain works differently to others). I'm not sure she understands, or sees any positives .. but then maybe I don't yet either

I keep meaning to have a look at the curly hair project ... MUST do that now.

she is normal

Thanks for all your replies. I'm not expecting it to be ready and she wants to be just like her friends too, but I'm hoping it might help her to understand herself. We already talk about differences/strengths/weaknesses and how we wouldn't want to be ordinary/boring etc. I think we're just going to have to go over that suit of conversation and explain why she's seen the paediatrician and go from there. Think the weekend might be the time - give her half term to help digest it!

DS1 has aspergers syndrome, he's 9. He seems to understand the term "social communication disorder" better than aspergers syndrome or autism so that's the term we use. We said that everyone finds some things difficult and some things easy. Some people's difficulties mean they need more help with certain things, eg DS3 struggles to breathe when he has a cold so he has an inhaler and DS2 can't walk very far so he has a wheelchair. He knows he is much better at lego than me. He knows that I write the Christmas cards in our house as DH can never remember anyone's names. I wasn't sure if I'd explained it right but after he'd seen the local "short breaks" newsletter with all the activities on offer he said he liked having social communication disorder because he got to do "fun stuff". So we must be doing something right .