Puberty....Part 2...
Let's continue on shall we?
Last post was about how to talk with your child about their bodies changing and the birds and the bees.
This post I'd like to focus on menstrual cycles, mood swings and boys becoming men.
Let's jump right in...
Beginning their menstrual cycle....As my daughter with autism grew so did my worries. How would I teach her how to handle her cycle? Would she be freaked out? With her sensory issues how would she wear the necessary sanitary items? I began researching to get ideas on the best way to handle this next chapter of adolescence. There were alot of opinions and stories and honestly, it increased the worry. Here are the options I came across and I want to share them here in case one would be a good fit for your situation.
* Birth control pills or the patch
* Depo-provera injection
* Mirena IUD with progesterone
* Natural cycle
Leading up to the actual cycle, I began talking to my girl about what would happen. I talked about it in detail and we went over it many, many times. (This seems to be what works best for her). I began showing her what a sanitary napkin looked like then we moved on to her touching it and eventually "practicing" wearing one for a minute. The goal was to wear it for 5 minutes then 10 minutes. We continued practicing until she was able to do it for 20 minutes. At that point, I felt confidant with that so we moved on to discussing that we don't share it with everyone when it is that time of the month for her. I must tell you that this took a long time. There were many embarrassing times for me and others as she would very loudly share what was happening with her body. I still need to remind her that she should whisper in my ear not announce it to everyone. 😳 There was a huge learning curve, alot of "oh my word!" moments for me, and lots of tears for both of us BUT we made it to the other side....well....mostly. 😊
Just a quick tip that has been a huge help for us: we've moved to using a depends type product for her.
It's so much easier for her to have just one total piece and it's very absorbent. They do make period underwear which are so cute! Here's some links:
We may eventually go that way but this is working for us so we will stay with it for now.
Mood Swings are a normal part of the package of the teenage years but with our special needs loved ones most of the time they can't express to us how and what they are feeling. It can certainly cause the mood swings to be more intense. What words of wisdom do I have for this? Well.....actually...none. We have just tried to weather the storms (mood swings) with more patience and understanding. We try to talk them through what they are feeling and give them space to feel the emotions. It can be a real roller coaster ride for everyone in the family but the good news is that this won't last forever, but it might feel that way. 😧
Here are some helpful links:
Your boy is growing into a man. Hair is sprouting on his baby face, his voice is changing and he may begin pulling away or pushing back on your rules. Now is not the time momma to be afraid to engage. In fact, now is when they need you most. They need to hear from you about why their body parts are acting in such crazy ways, their insides feel all topsy turvy and why they feel like the Incredible Hulk all of a sudden. Talk to him as much as he will allow you to about the changes and make sure you spend time talking about respecting his body and others as well. If your boy isn't able to understand all the details, think outside of the box, books, social stories, picture books.
Here are some links to good articles about this:
I truly hope this information is helpful for you and your family. I'd love to hear what has worked for you while navigating this new chapter.
Remember friends, there's joy in the journey, we just have to look for it.
Lisa💕
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