Puberty is a tumultuous time for any child, but for a child with Autism, it is an especially confusing and scary time. For example, a young woman may not understand what is happening to her body each month when she is menstruating. A young man may not understand why he feels that tingle in his groin when his young female teacher walks by him or brushes up against his arm by accident.
Many of the body changes, such as breast buds, facial hair, hair under the arms, a deepened voice, etc, are changes and transitions that don’t make a lot of sense. And as we know with many of our children on the Autistic Spectrum, change means transition and transitions trigger anxiety and possibly agitation and aggression.
Click here to read my latest article with The Autism Notebook, entitled, “Facing Puberty Head On” where I offer suggestions and strategies to help you help your child make the transition into puberty.