Autism News Tagged "ASD and sexuality"

Teaching sex and sexuality and boundaries around masturbation to those with autism ASD

How do I teach sexuality to a person with ASD?

Answer: For children that are concrete thinkers, teach rules and skills. Many individuals with ASD follow rules well and understand those types of boundaries. Make sure everyone who works with that child knows the established rules as well. You can teach the “why” behind the rule if the child is at a higher social-cognitive level. Keep in mind the cognitive level when teaching concepts. Does the person understand abstract concepts? Can they apply what they’ve learned in books to real life? Think about how the person learns best: using computers, through visuals, reading, video modelling etc.

Romance and Autism: Dating is more than possible for people with ASD

There is a common misconception that people with an ASD are not interested in relationships or romance. This simply isn’t true. While this population struggles with social skills and communication, this doesn’t equate with disinterest, even though the stress and sense of self-defeat may dissuade an autistic person from attempting romance. In a study done by Toronto’s Redpath Centre ,…

Sexuality – Considerations and Practical Teaching

I attended a presentation last week on practical approaches to teaching sexuality and want to share what I’ve learned. Teaching sexuality is often a daunting task whether you are a parent or professional. When it comes to ASDs, there is a two-fold problem: physical development is often typical while cognitive and social-emotional development are delayed and some sexual behaviours may be rooted in other causes such as sensory issues, rigid patterns of behavior, or the enjoyment of negative attention. You have to be a detective and investigate the reasons why sexual behavior is being exhibited; the cause may not be what it appears to be. For example, excessive touching of the genitals may be because pants are fitting too tightly and the touching may not be pleasure seeking related at all.

Analyze behavior and plan interventions to reduce inappropriate behavior. Ask the question, “What are they trying to get out of this?” You can teach and model something more appropriate, offering suggestions on what you can do instead.

Teaching Healthy Sexuality – Whose Job Is It?

I attended an interesting poster session last week at the Canadian Association for Occupational Therapists conference in Saskatoon, SK. The title of the session was Parental Perspectives in Sexual Health Education of Physically Disabled Children. Although it pertained to physical disabilities, the information was applicable to intellectual disabilities as well.