Uncomfortable social moment

[mamarhu]

I was out with a friend today. My YoungSon (14) is somewhere on the autism spectrum and her son (13) is also. Well the conversation started well and then we discussed the boys getting together for a sleepover and becoming friends And i said it would be great for YoungSon to meet another child with autism. She then tensed up. Then said she didn't use the "A" word in her home meaning autism. She is a dear friend and very mainstream suburbia. So i was wondering if there are any other parents of autistic teenagers who haven't told there children that they are autistic. Is this common or crazy?

[Eyelet]

Um...imho, that's crazy.

I have a 13 yo DS who has autism, and I'm not sure how one goes about living with this diagnosis without it being in the open. I mean, considering the therapies, special rec activities, autism organizations that we're active in, plus school support... how could anyone keep that secret, especially from the person it effects??

[Lollybrat]

My son is 6 and knows that he has autism. He donesn't fully understand what it means, but he knows the word and identifies with it. He knows that his brain works differently than other kids and he learns differently. He knows lots of other kids who have autism too.

DS started reading at age 2 (hyperlexia) and we have books and articles about autism all over the house. We go to autism events. DS loves being in the autism community: going to special events, our autism playgroup, his therapies and classes, and the autism resource center. There was no way we could hide the word "autism" from DS. Nor would I want to. It's a part of who he is and not something we want him to be ashamed of.

A few months ago, DS met some adults with autism. He also learned about Temple Grandin. He was so excited to learn that people with autism can write books and do many other wonderful things. I'm happy to be able to provide DS with positve role models of autism as he grows up.

My son is 6 and we don't hide autism from him. I cannot imagine trying to hide it from a teenager.

[williamsmommy2002]

My kid's behavior therapist has another client who is 15 who doesn't know he has autism. She says the mother tries to keep it from him. She also says it causes him lots of problems too. My kids have known for a while, we use the word freely around them.