The teen years can be challenging for everyone; they can be especially challenging, however, for autistic people. The experiences and struggles of every autistic teenager depend on their specific mix of autistic traits, age of diagnosis, the level of acceptance and inclusion of neurodiversity in their family, their support system, and their school environment.
Fortunately, there are many ways parents and guardians can prepare for and ease the transition to teenagehood. The teen years are also a great time to start preparing for adulthood.
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What Does It Mean to be Neurodivergent?
Challenges for Autistic Teens
Autistic children may be nonverbal or chatty. They may do well in school or find it challenging. They may have autistic-coded behaviors or none at all. But all autistic children have these challenges in common:
Executive FunctioningExecutive function refers to a set of cognitive processes involved in the capacity to plan ahead and complete tasks, initiate tasks, display self control, maintain focus despite distraction, re-focus when interrupted, regulate emotions, keep track of time or one’s belongings, and a multitude of other daily skills neurotypical people often take for granted.
Executive Functioning
Executive function refers to a set of cognitive processes involved in the capacity to plan ahead and complete tasks, initiate tasks, display self control, maintain focus despite distraction, re-focus when interrupted, regulate emotions, keep track of time or one’s belongings, and a multitude of other daily skills neurotypical people often take for granted.
Most autistic children also struggle with:
Add to all of these issues the onset of puberty and physical changes, new academic and social challenges, and higher intellectual and social expectations, and it’s not surprising that the teenage years can be especially tough for autistic kids.
How Autism May Reduce Teen Stress
Yes, the teen years can be particularly rough for autistic youngsters. But for some, puberty can actually be less painful than it is for neurotypical teens. That’s because many autistic individuals:
Of course, not every autistic person fits the same mold, but for some teens, the lack of self-judgment or hyper-awareness of others' opinions can be a great plus.
What Does “Neurotypical” Mean?
Physical Changes
Even very independent autistic children may be unprepared for puberty without clear, consistent, and direct education. Neither hints nor wordy lectures will be as effective as they might be with neurotypical children.
This means parents and caregivers must be graphic, specific, and hands-on in ways that are most comfortable for your autistic loved one. It is important to be this way because no one else may take on that role for an autistic child. Some options for preparing an autistic child for the onset of physical changes include:
While some younger children may masturbate in inappropriate places, the likelihood of this happening may increase as a child enters puberty. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with masturbation in private, it can become a serious issue in public. This is particularly true for teenagers, who may be perceived as potential sexual predators.
It is therefore very important to teach a child where and when they can masturbate privately. If public masturbation is an issue with a child, a parent or guardian may decide to work with abehavioral therapistto help manage the problem.
Academic Expectations
Many autistic people are unusually intelligent; others are of average intelligence. Over 30%, however, have intellectual disabilities and about half have learning disabilities. Many have attentional issues such as ADHD, and many have difficulty grasping and discussing abstract concepts.
Skills such as memorization, repetition, and basic math are highly prized in the early years—skills that are often areas of strength among autistic children. But reading comprehension, verbal discussion, writing, and analytical thinking are expected as children get older, and these may be very challenging for some autistic teens.
Fortunately, parents, guardians, teachers, and therapists know ahead of time that these challenges are coming up, so they can plan to support autistic teens as needed. Supports, special settings, and unique services can become part of a child’s individualized educational plan (IEP).
There are a range of options available; the choice will depend on the teen’s level of academic ability. For example, some autistic teens:
One particularly tricky aspect of American high school education is the requirement that all high school students pass standardized tests. While some autistic students have little trouble with standardized tests, others find them extremely stressful and difficult. Autistic teens do qualify for extra time and other supports, but only if they are requested.
Emotional Challenges and Differences
The teenage years can be an emotional rollercoaster. Some autistic teens are overwhelmed with emotions during this period, but others slide through with less angst than their neurotypical peers.
In addition to the usual teenage ups and downs, autistic teens may experience some of these additional challenges:
Many of these issues can be mitigated or even resolved if they are addressed early and creatively. Some options include:
If a teen is not thriving in a public school setting, try exploring other options. For example, some autistic teens do better in technical high schools; others flourish in high schools tailored to people living with disabilities, and yet others are successful as homeschoolers.
Planning for Adulthood
One can begin planning for anautistic child’s adulthoodwhile they are still a young teen. In fact, the earlier one begins planning, the better the chances are of maximizing an autistic child’s opportunities. Now is the time to start:
A Word From Verywell
In addition to the topics discussed in this article, it’s important to note that young autistic adults are at higher risk than their neurotypical peers for several chronic issues.These includeepilepsy, schizophrenia, skin disorders, eating disorders, and ongoing risk of gastrointestinal problems.
It’s important to keep a close eye on a teenage child’s psychological and physical wellness as they grow toward adulthood.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Briot K, Jean F, Jouni A, Geoffray MM, Ly-Le Moal M, Umbricht D, Chatham C, Murtagh L, Delorme R, Bouvard M, Leboyer M, Amestoy A.Social Anxiety in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders Contribute to Impairments in Social Communication and Social Motivation. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jul 24;11:710. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00710Conner CM, Golt J, Righi G, Shaffer R, Siegel M, Mazefsky CA.A Comparative Study of Suicidality and Its Association with Emotion Regulation Impairment in Large ASD and US Census-Matched Samples. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Oct;50(10):3545-3560. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04370-1Vohra R, Madhavan S, Sambamoorthi U.Comorbidity prevalence, healthcare utilization, and expenditures of Medicaid enrolled adults with autism spectrum disorders.Autism. 2017;21(8):995-1009. doi:10.1177/1362361316665222
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Briot K, Jean F, Jouni A, Geoffray MM, Ly-Le Moal M, Umbricht D, Chatham C, Murtagh L, Delorme R, Bouvard M, Leboyer M, Amestoy A.Social Anxiety in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders Contribute to Impairments in Social Communication and Social Motivation. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jul 24;11:710. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00710Conner CM, Golt J, Righi G, Shaffer R, Siegel M, Mazefsky CA.A Comparative Study of Suicidality and Its Association with Emotion Regulation Impairment in Large ASD and US Census-Matched Samples. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Oct;50(10):3545-3560. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04370-1Vohra R, Madhavan S, Sambamoorthi U.Comorbidity prevalence, healthcare utilization, and expenditures of Medicaid enrolled adults with autism spectrum disorders.Autism. 2017;21(8):995-1009. doi:10.1177/1362361316665222
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Briot K, Jean F, Jouni A, Geoffray MM, Ly-Le Moal M, Umbricht D, Chatham C, Murtagh L, Delorme R, Bouvard M, Leboyer M, Amestoy A.Social Anxiety in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders Contribute to Impairments in Social Communication and Social Motivation. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jul 24;11:710. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00710Conner CM, Golt J, Righi G, Shaffer R, Siegel M, Mazefsky CA.A Comparative Study of Suicidality and Its Association with Emotion Regulation Impairment in Large ASD and US Census-Matched Samples. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Oct;50(10):3545-3560. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04370-1Vohra R, Madhavan S, Sambamoorthi U.Comorbidity prevalence, healthcare utilization, and expenditures of Medicaid enrolled adults with autism spectrum disorders.Autism. 2017;21(8):995-1009. doi:10.1177/1362361316665222
Briot K, Jean F, Jouni A, Geoffray MM, Ly-Le Moal M, Umbricht D, Chatham C, Murtagh L, Delorme R, Bouvard M, Leboyer M, Amestoy A.Social Anxiety in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders Contribute to Impairments in Social Communication and Social Motivation. Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jul 24;11:710. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00710
Conner CM, Golt J, Righi G, Shaffer R, Siegel M, Mazefsky CA.A Comparative Study of Suicidality and Its Association with Emotion Regulation Impairment in Large ASD and US Census-Matched Samples. J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Oct;50(10):3545-3560. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04370-1
Vohra R, Madhavan S, Sambamoorthi U.Comorbidity prevalence, healthcare utilization, and expenditures of Medicaid enrolled adults with autism spectrum disorders.Autism. 2017;21(8):995-1009. doi:10.1177/1362361316665222
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