Autism In Teenagers

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“Kids have to be exposed to different things in order to develop. A child’s not going to find out he likes to play a musical instrument if you never exposed him to it…” - Temple Grandin. Autism can affect a teenagers social life, behaviour, actions, etc. Autism in the teenage years are hard because that is when the teens hit puberty and start having a sex life. Autism can also differentiate normal teens and autistic teens such as they think differently, they are smart in different ways, they have different behaviours, their brains don’t function the same, etc. Autism is most influential in a person’s teenage years. Teenagers at the age of 14 or 15 are typically going through puberty. Teenagers with autism have an especially difficult time…show more content…
There are different autistic behaviours in teenagers which makes each autistic teenager unique.(Linda Willis). Some teenagers with autism are quiet and withdrawn. They do not understand the importance of eye contact, and avoid it.(Lance Maver). Additionally, they may not be able to form words as easily, and may communicate with gestures. Other autistic teens are overactive. They do not understand socially acceptable ways to express frustration, and may become aggressive. Some autistic teens have trouble adapting to change, and may not react well to changes in routine. Severe cases of teen autism can include fixation on objects and ideas, or making repetitive motions. Common motions are hand flapping and rocking when anxious.(George Carol). Although this physical attribute is important to look at, it is the role of guardians and parents to understand autism and how it affects…show more content…
“Dealing with autistic teens is hard, but you need to be really patient with them, understand them, and teach them what's right.”(Lisa Smith). Autistic teenagers can learn appropriate behaviors, and many of them work hard to learn emotional interpretation and response. Autistic teens do feel emotions; it is learning to express them in a way others understand that is difficult. However, most teens have been working on expressing themselves and learning coping skills for years, and the earlier the autism is addressed, the more likely it is that an autistic teenager will have better success in his or her social interactions. Showing understanding toward teenagers with autism is important, and recognizing the limitations one is operating under, as well as acknowledging the improvements made is important. Showing patience and acceptance is also important when interacting with teens that have autism. Autism really affects a teen significantly and if you don’t show them your understanding they might get depressed or an anxiety
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