Autism at-a-Glance - Preparing for Puberty - Support for High School Staff and Families

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by James

Autism at-a-Glance provides a practitioner- and family-friendly overview of puberty-related changes for adolescents on the autism spectrum. It explains why transitions during puberty may feel disorienting and offers concrete guidance for preparing students ahead of time, including hygiene routines, growth and development topics, and teaching public versus private behaviors, body parts, and places. The document emphasizes clear rules, visual supports, social narratives, privacy awareness, and praising appropriate skills to support safe, respectful learning.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Preparing for Puberty

Identifying Body Parts

Growth and Their Development

Puberty in Adolescents with ASD

Health Concerns

Keeping Clean

Healthy Habits

Teaching Public and Private Behaviors

Public and Private Body Parts

Public and Private Places

Taking Care of a Changing Body

Important Reminders

Key Strategies for Supporting Teens as They Learn About Puberty

Visual Supports

Task Analysis

Social Narratives

January 2016 Autism at-a-Glance is a publication of the Center on Secondary Education for Students with ASD (CSESA) Autism at-a-Glance is a series of practitioner and family-friendly documents created by the Center on Secondary Education for Students with ASD (CSESA) designed for high school staff members supporting students on the autism spectrum, as well as family members of adolescents with ASD. The purpose of the Autism at-a-Glance series is to provide a current summary of topics relevant to highschool students with ASDas well as practical tips and resources for school and community personnel and family members. This Autism at-a-Glance was designed to support high school staff and family members in supporting adolescents on the autism spectrum during the changes associated with puberty. ike all teens, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) go through puberty. During this transitional time, their bodies will go through changes that can be disorienting. Given that adolescents with ASD may have a need for sameness and routine, the changes associated with puberty can be difficult. Teachers and parents can support students by educating the teens in advance about the changes related to puberty and by giving clear guidelines about appropriate health and social behaviors during the transition to adulthood. Preparing for Puberty It can be helpful to prepare adolescents with ASD ahead of time for changes that will occur during puberty. Topics to dicuss include: Identifying Body Parts Teens should be familiar with male and female body parts. Formal names of body parts should be used when teaching students about body parts to avoid confusion and to give them the appropriate names to use as they learn about the development of their body. Growth and Their Development Teens on the autism spectrum benefit from a clear and detailed discussion of the growth and development process of their body during puberty (e.g. , hair growth) . Using visual and concrete examples can be very helpful in these discussions. Puberty in Adolescents with ASD L Health Concerns The body experiences many changes during puberty. Teens will need to learn how to keep clean and maintain their hygiene. It is important to start incorporating these hygiene routines early. Overall, these healthy habits can help improve mood and increase self-esteem. Keeping Clean Having good hygiene is important for all students. Remind and/or teach students about taking daily showers, brushing teeth, using deodorant, changing clothes daily, washing dirty clothes, shaving, washing hands, and trimming/grooming finger nails. Healthy Habits As the body develops, the student may start to feel either more tired or energetic. Maintaining a healthy diet with a variety of foods will sustain energy. Teaching Public and Private Behaviors Parents, teachers, and other people working with an individual with ASD can start early with teaching about public and private behaviors by setting rules in the classroom and at home. Like many teens, students on the autism spectrum sometimes struggle to know what types of behaviors beling in public vs. private environments. For example, a student might not understand why it’s OK to undress in a locker room (with other students nearby) but not OK to undress in a classroom. Teaching students to understand the difference between public and private behaviors can reduce their chances of being bullied or abused. Public and Private Body Parts Teaching students about public and private body parts of males and females is important. For example, female body parts covered by a swimsuit are considered private body parts. Adults also should talk with students about who can or cannot touch their private body parts. Public and Private Places Teaching students about public (e.g. , park, library, beach) and private (e.g. , bedroom, bathroom stall) places and the types of activities that occur in each context are

FAQs

Why can puberty be difficult for adolescents with ASD?

Puberty brings body changes that can be disorienting. For adolescents with ASD, transitions may be harder because they may prefer sameness and routine.

What hygiene routines should be taught and reinforced during puberty?

Students should learn to take daily showers, brush teeth, use deodorant, change clothes daily, wash dirty clothes, shave as appropriate, wash hands, and trim/groom finger nails, with routines started early.

How can adults teach public versus private behaviors and reduce risk?

Adults should set clear rules in classrooms and at home and teach the differences between public and private behaviors, body parts, and places. This helps students understand expectations and can reduce chances of being bullied or abused.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by James