And if yes, when and how did you tell them?

DS was diagnosed with PDD-NOS (which I know will soon be phased out to be under the ASD umbrella) when he was a little over two. As far as I know, he is not aware of that diagnosis (he's 7 1/2). I don't think he's aware that he reacts/thinks differently than many kids either. He goes to see a therapist and an outside social skills group and is on an IEP at school but I don't know how much of that he realizes is not the norm.

I've been thinking that we should say something sooner rather than later but I'm not even sure when/why/how to begin that discussion.

He is very very verbal (communication went from a weakness to a strength with him!) but also very easily gets down on himself.

I've been reading to focus on the strengths he gets from his autism (an AMAZING memory, etc.) and then explain that sometimes he just thinks differently but...I don't know where to go from there or how to bring it up or pretty much anything. I don't want to do it "wrong" and make things worse for him.