Terrible teens dealing with autistic teens

For most parents, a child’s puberty is one of the most difficult periods in life. When puberty hits, young people experience major changes in their bodies and psyches, and parents have little control over many situations. For a child with autism, puberty is no different. Although your child with autism experiences puberty differently than other children of his or her age, serious hormonal changes still occur in his or her body. This can lead to extreme results, and that can be both good and bad, depending on how your child reacts to the new hormone levels.

One of the worst side effects of the changes in the autistic person’s body is the occurrence of seizures. Many people with autism suffer from seizures from birth to adulthood. But even if your child does not suffer from these seizures, he or she may experience seizures during and after puberty due to the new hormone levels in his or her body. As strange as it may sound, severe shaking seizures are not necessarily a bad thing. Nearly a quarter of autistic children have seizures, but many of them go unnoticed because they are not textbook seizures. If you notice your child is having a seizure, you can do something about it and doctors can treat your child better. However, when seizures occur unconsciously, you and your child may not notice. The result of these small, hidden seizures can be a loss of function that can be devastating, especially if your child’s condition improved before puberty. Regular checkups during puberty are therefore extremely important.

The changes don’t have to be bad. New hormone levels in the body and other changes that come with puberty can help your autistic child grow and succeed in areas where he or she would normally have no ability or interest. Many parents report that their child’s behavior has improved and he or she finds it easier to learn in a social setting.

The most important thing about puberty is that you learn to pay close attention to your child’s changes and ask your doctor lots of questions. Remember that puberty is a difficult time for any young person, and it will be even more difficult for a child with autism. Try to be patient and understanding with your teenager and carefully manage his autism so that the transition from childhood to adulthood goes more smoothly.