Talking About Periods

Encouragingly, research shows that people with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder are very often able to manage their period successfully both independently or with the support of others if they are:

• supported to learn about their periods and their body
• given lots of time to learn about periods before they start
• provided with opportunities to practice using pads and other sanitary products
• provided with supporting resources like social stories or visual schedules

 

It is important to allow your child as much time as possible to learn about periods. This can mean beginning to talk to your child about growing up and their changing body at an early age. A good way to begin talking to your child about these changes is to use photos of your child when they were younger. You can try:

• Asking your child to compare how they looked when they were small to how they look now
• Asking your child to identify how they have changed
• Telling your child that their body will continue to change as they get older. This is a normal part of growing up

This activity can be a good way to introduce your child to some of the changes that will happen to their body during puberty. For information on these changes see body changes page.

This activity can be a good way to introduce your child to some of the changes that will happen to their body during puberty. For information on these changes see the body changes page. Explain to your child that an important part of growing up is starting their period. Each child will need different levels of information depending on how much they already know. Some of the things that you can start with are:

• A period is when blood comes out of your vagina. It happens once a month
• The blood can come out for 3-7 days and nights
• This is a normal part of growing up. It does not mean you are sick.
• It means that you can get pregnant
• You might need to wear something in your underpants to stop the blood getting on your clothes
• If blood gets on your clothes or if your tummy hurts tell an adult you trust
• It is good to talk to people you trust about your period

Over time you can slowly provide your child with more information about their period. This should include information about what a period is and the products that people use to manager their period. For information about sanitary products go to Period Product Options. Other things to gradually teach your child are:

• A period means that a woman’s body is ready to have babies.
• A tiny egg comes out of the ovaries and travels to the uterus each month
• During this time the lining inside the uterus thickens with blood
• If a woman does not get pregnant that month, the egg and the lining of the uterus comes out as blood through the vagina
• A period can last for 3-7 days
• When period finishes, the cycle starts again
• Once they start, people usually have their period once a month until they start menopause. Menopause usually happens around the age of 50