“If no one tells you about the blood, then you start your periods when you are only 9, it can be terrifying.
I’m Ali, a teaching assistant in a unit for children with ASD*. (*Autism Spectrum Disorder/Diagnosis).
Phoebe attends the unit for half the school day – she is 9 and autistic. She spends the other half of her time in the main school but is alone a lot as she worries the children will tease her about her autism.
Phoebe recently started her period. As she is shy and sensitive, she was nervous. Nervous about telling the adults in the unit about it, especially as most of the other children here are boys.
Rachel from Esteem ran sessions on puberty and periods in the unit, which normalised it all for Phoebe and made her feel more at ease. Rachel used a social story to explain periods and when to change pads and so on.
I have been keeping an eye on Phoebe to ensure she is feeling okay and that she has menstruation pads with her that she can change regularly.
Phoebe can find school emotionally overwhelming and is nervous about change. She has a relatively good understanding of concepts but sometimes struggles to articulate her feelings because of her ASD. She often appears visibly worried and works better in small group settings with people she trusts.
Rachel has become a trusted face as she has been visiting the unit to run a series of Relationships Education sessions.
It’s been so beneficial for Phoebe to access these sessions in a small group rather than in the main school, and to have concepts repeated through different activities.
Phoebe is a visual learner who appreciates diagrams and colours, so really enjoys crafts and expressing herself in art. She loved it when Rachel got the children making self-care kits in sessions to support their emotional wellbeing.
Phoebe wanted to take her kit home straight away! She also enjoyed the calm colouring spinners and dragon breathing craft.
The teachers worry about Phoebe’s ability to assert herself in relationships as she gets older. So, Rachel’s sessions on personal boundaries are invaluable.
We have been encouraging Phoebe to use her voice more so that she can express her needs and boundaries clearly.”
Children with special needs like Phoebe go through puberty and hormone changes and have romantic feelings, just like their peers.
However, mainstream Relationships and Health Education is often not accessible to them.
Whereas Relationships and Health Education content and teaching methods that are tailored can meet their needs. Such as smaller group size, extra processing time, revisiting concepts in different ways, and the use of visual aids, stories, and tactile, sensory activities.