Disclosure of ASD Diagnosis to Children and Adolescents

Detection and Diagnosis of ASD in Females

“…The disclosure of a diagnosis of autism is somewhat challenging, regardless of the age or gender of the patient. With children, the diagnosis is shared with the parent and the family decides with the clinician how best to disclose it to the child (Eckerd, 2019). Helping parents understand autistic behaviors can alleviate blame and lead to useful solutions to problems at home.…”

“…Often teenagers are the least accepting of the diagnosis (Eckerd, 2019), which is a developmentally typical reaction. While understanding of autistic traits can potentially enhance self-knowledge, reduce self-criticism, and validate the need for support and accommodations, teenagers do not want to see themselves as different from peers and often hope that their differences will go away in time.…”