One of the most frequent questions I get from parents is this: How do I tell my child about their diagnosis? This task feels daunting because no one wants to tell someone that something is “different” about them, especially when that someone is our precious child. You don’t want to hurt them and you don’t want them to ever think they are “less than.” I believe that we, the adults, are actually the ones with the baggage about “different” meaning something negative. 

While “different” might mean that something is harder for your child, “different” never means “less than.” So I prefer to not even use the word “diagnosis” and instead focus on abilities and needs for support. We all have abilities and we all have needs, so let’s understand them and support one another.

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