Educators emphasize the need for young people on the autistic spectrum to gain more support in understanding and coping with changes in puberty | Picture used only for representative purpose Photo Credit: Getty Images
For adolescents who go through puberty, there may be a difficult solution to many changes, including pimples, voice breaking or periods. For adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), they point out that it is a completely different ball game, because awareness of physical changes may be missing.
In the World Day, the awareness of autism observed on April 2 teachers emphasize the need to repeatedly train adolescents with ASD about puberty. “Children in the spectrum are like any other children, growing up and going through puberty. However, they require these changes. Repeated training of teachers and parents will help them because they require social awareness,” said Arokiamary, Director of Development Education, Anbalaya, Chennai.
The fear of parents
When RESHMA (name changed), thirteen -year -old with a mild autism, first received her period, her mother was afraid. “My child does not understand these changes; I still take care of it in the same way I care for a child. I was very terrified to find out that she started her period. I still don’t understand her in my room, with the exception of school,” Kiruba K., her mother.
Kiruba’s experience is universal and many parents feel helpless when their child goes through a teenager. Since their children cannot express different changes, parents are looking for traces that indicate these changes. Special educators point out that puberty is much harder for girls than boys.
Navamani K., mother of 15 -year -old mild autistic girl, follows her daughter’s pimples and behavior changes. “She would be a hyperactive jump up and down and began to cry for a period of pain because she did not understand this physical function, but after talking to her, and for some time she understood what period they were,” she said.
Need improved support
Vasuki S., founder of the National Charitable Trust, a special educational school in Salem adds that the training of adolescents concerning the touch is the key to navigation in puberty. “Children also have sensory problems, so we start training them about sanitary inserts before their first periods. For boys we will engage them in physical activity to keep them occupied,” she said.
Emphasizing the importance of counseling parents, Evelyn John, Director, Sankalp, Educational Center and Special Needs School in Chennai that these practices must also be reinforced at home. “When children get into the adolescent phase, parents are afraid because they do not know what support they are extending.
Published – April 1 2025 23:45 is
