ATN/AIR-P Puberty and Adolescence Resource
Puberty can be a time of mixed feelings for parents and pre-teens. All parents eventually face the challenge of teaching their children about the natural changes of puberty. However, parents of pre-teens with autism may need the help of additional strategies to ease the transition.
Our aim in developing this tool is to provide guidance on puberty that can be directly applied to pre-teens with autism. In doing so, we hope to increase families' understanding of puberty and their ability to adapt to these changes with confidence.
Sections include:
- Body changes
- Self-care and hygiene
- Public vs. private rules
- Staying safe: Strangers, secrets and touch
- Elopement
- Safety planning for increased aggression
- Internet safety
"These materials are the product of on-going activities of the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network, a funded program of Autism Speaks. It is supported by cooperative agreement UA3 MC 11054 through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Research Program to the Massachusetts General Hospital. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the MCHB, HRSA, HHS, or Autism Speaks."
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Our Autism Response Team (ART) is specially trained to connect people with autism, their families, and caretakers to information, tools, and resources.
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