Emotional & social skills
The spectrum website, from Australia, has a well presented article about social interaction strategies. The National autistic society’s page about supporting your autistic child in making friends covers the subject well, with pointers for learning about emotions.
Developing emotional and social skills can be more difficult for autistic children. Click icon for our page on the subject.
First step to independence
The loving push is a book by best-selling author, autism advocate, and animal science professor Dr. Temple Grandin and psychologist and autism specialist Dr. Debra Moore. They spell out what steps you can take to restore your child’s hope and motivation, and what you must avoid.
Temple Grandin is not everyone’s cup to tea but she has a big following. See also Get your butts out of the house …
What to expect
The Interactive Autistic Network in the USA was a research based initiative from 2006 – 2019. They produced Autism in the Teen Years: What to Expect, How to Help. Click icon to browse. The interactive autism network link autism community and research. A couple of quotes:
- The teens are not getting more noncompliant because their autism is getting worse. It’s because they’re teenagers.
- Teens say actually the hardest part is not having friends.
Childline
Childline was Esther Rantzen’s idea. It has a well presented website where a teenager or young person can browse and see what others are saying or asking. Click icon to view.
The website has a page about Autism. More specifically, it has several pages which provide an introduction to issues that could be of help and interest to teenagers:
Peer pressure Relationships Sexting Zipit
Sarcasm
Do you get sarcasm? You might like to try Sarcasm is strong with this one on Facebook.
Experiences
Netmums have shared the ups and downs of living with an autistic child or teen who has autism or Asperger’s. Click icon to browse.
Safe living
Parties, Dorms and Social Norms: A Crash Course in Safe Living for Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum. “The late teens and twenties are exciting times, but filled with potential pitfalls as young people navigate the transition into independent adult life.” This book was written by Dr. Lisa Meeks, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of Medical Student Disability Services at The University of California.
See: Amazon.
Guidance for parents
This booklet offers extensive practical guidance for parents and carers of teenagers with Asperger’s Syndrome. It is from Occupational therapy at Falkirk council.
Click icon to view.
Sex education
The National Autistic Society has a a guide for parents about sex education. Click page icon to browse.
See also
See our items about on-line counselling and sex education DVDs.
Our Employment pages may be of some relevance to older teenagers.
Families -> Growing up -> Teens & young people
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