Puberty and body changes can sometimes feel like they happened overnight. Many changes happen throughout puberty and it can be hard to know what is ‘normal’. Supporting children with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder to learn about, prepare for and manage their body changes can also feel like a daunting task.
Unfortunately there is no set age when puberty will begin, and no set order in which the changes will happen. In girls, puberty can start anywhere between the ages of 8 and 13. Boys tend to start puberty later, usually between the ages of 10 and 15.
Since you can’t tell whether your child will start puberty earlier or later, this means that you need to start preparing your child for puberty earlier than you might have thought.
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Conversation Starters
Strategies for you to try
Start the conversation early
Start talking about puberty early and avoid waiting until the changes start to happen. Your child will need time to adjust to the changes and to process the information and new skills they will be developing. It’s never too early to start communicating about body changes regardless of your child’s support and learning needs.Keep it simple
Use resources that have easy English and pictures. Start with the basics and do not give all the information at once. Just like learning any other skill, start simple, move slow and steady, and repeat often.Use the proper names for private body parts
Have a look at Private Body Parts to learn more about getting comfortable using the correct names for private body parts with your child. Using the proper names for private body parts can help your child develop self-protection skills and sets them up for success as an adult.Remember, it is normal!
It can be upsetting to see your child turning quickly into a teen. It might be scary and confusing for your child and they may feel overwhelmed and anxious about the changes that are happening. It’s very important that we normalise body changes as much as possible and celebrate them as the next step into being a grown up. You can help normalise body changes for your child by:- starting to talk about body changes early
- reassuring them that everybody goes through these changes (even yourself!)
- communicating that everyone’s body changes in a way that is just right for that person
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