Puberty can be a stressful time for young people due to physical changes, emotional fluctuations, and new social challenges. This period can feel overwhelming, especially for those with sensory sensitivities or difficulties with emotional regulation. The resources in this section supports parents by providing strategies to help young people manage these changes, improve daily routines, and build coping skills to improve emotional wellbeing.
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Puberty: A Boys Overview explains how a boy’s body changes during puberty.
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The NHS resource, Puberty in boys with learning disabilities covers the different changes that boys go through during puberty in clear and easy to read language with some visuals.
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Planet Puberty is an online digital resource created by Family Planning NSW in Australia to support parents and carers of children with intellectual disability and/or autism through puberty, offering up-to-date information, strategies, and tools. It has been co-designed with people with intellectual disability and/or autism and developed in collaboration with parents and carers to ensure that the resource is relevant and practical. The site hosts a number of podcasts related to puberty.
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Puberty: A Guide for Teenagers with an Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Parents was developed by La Trobe University and is designed to help parents, families, friends, and caregivers support teenagers with Autism in understanding and managing the emotional, physical, and social changes of puberty. Each section begins with guidance for caregivers on how to use and adapt the content to the individual needs of the teenager, followed by teen-focused information, including visual schedules and descriptive stories.
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This editable Social Story about Public Touch and Private touch is used to explain what body parts are private and where it is appropriate to touch them.
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This Where does it Hurt Visual Board can help your child share with you where they are feeling pain.
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Girls Business is an easy read resource about private parts and when and where it is appropriate to touch them.
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Puberty: A Girl’s Overview covers what happens to a girl’s body during puberty and the changes that take place.
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This NHS resource on Puberty and Autism in Girls provide simple and easy to read explanations of the changes girls go through during puberty with visuals
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Periods: What Happens and Why explains the changes that happen when a girl starts her period and the reasons for those changes. It also covers personal care during periods.
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This video from Brook on Top Tips for Period Wellbeing shows a young person talking about what it feels like to have a period and what can help someone to feel better. The Brook website also contains lots of other helpful resources on managing periods and different period products.
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Robyn Steward has produced this Autism Friendly Guide to Periods which includes step by step photos for using menstrual cups, period underwear and cloth pads.
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Rotherham Integrated Care Partnership have published a guide to Periods and girls with autism spectrum disorder which includes ideas for a social story and visuals.
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These visual tables on changing period underwear and changing a sanitary pad help explain the step by step process.
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Bloom Wellbeing has published Getting My Period – a social story for girls in early puberty. This resource explains how bodies change over time, the differences between girls’ and boys’ bodies, and provides information about puberty, menstruation, the role of the uterus, and the use of sanitary products to manage menstrual bleeding.
The webinar, Preparing for Puberty in Children with Autism explores key aspects of puberty including body changes, hygiene, public and private behaviours, and navigating boundaries and relationships.
Puberty in Young People with ASD and/or Learning Disabilities. This video from North Derbyshire Learning Disability CAMHS provides an introduction to puberty in young people with Autism and/or Learning Disabilities, highlighting key issues they may face during this stage. It offers practical strategies to build confidence in supporting their understanding of puberty and sexuality, along with proactive approaches to help ensure their safety.
Talking Together about Growing Up: A Workbook for Parents of Children with Learning Disabilities provides helpful suggestions on talking to your child about the changes they are going through during puberty.
