Social Skills for Kids

East Bay Camps for Kids with Special Needs

Note: Added 4/11/10. This blog has moved! I'll be leaving the old blog up for a while, but updated posts will be on my new blog. For more info on this topic, as well as lots of book reviews, professional and personal resources for individuals of all ages with Asperger's, autism, ADHD and ASDs, please check my new blog, Thrive on the Autism Spectrum.

My upstate New York family may be getting snowed on, but here in the Bay Area, it's spring, with daffodils and cherry blossoms, and that means it's not too early to starting thinking about summer activities for your kids. There are many summer camp programs and a lot of them are geared toward kids and teens with special needs, like autism, Asperger’s, ADHD or other social or emotional issues. Many of these programs fill up quickly, especially those for older campers and the counselor in training programs, and some camps offer a discount for early sign up. Here is a list of just a few, those I’ve heard about that might be worth checking into for your child. Please do your own research since I’m only reporting what others have told me, I’m not professionally or personally involved in any of them. And, if you are aware of other East Bay programs for the summer, please let me know. I’ll edit the post to include anything else I hear of.

Thanks to the members of eastbayautism@yahoogroups.com for your ideas. If you're ever trying to solve a problem and can’t quite come up with the right resource, this group is the place to go. Someone in this group of very helpful people always knows the answers.

Strawberry Canyon Blue Camp's Social Skills camp, on the UC Berkeley campus offers a program for kids with social skills deficits, grades 3 to 12. Younger kids are in groups with a leader, but take part in their activities along with the typical kids from the larger daycamp. For teenagers with special needs, the camp offers a counselor in training program, with focus on social skills as they relate to job skills.

Quest Camps in Alamo offers programs for campers from ages 6 to 18, with special responsibilities and programs for teen campers. They have daily activities, field trips and therapy.

Trails to Success offers their summer camp programs in Orinda. They also have a counselor in training program for teenagers.

Walnut Creek offers a summer therapeutic program through the city parks and recreation. We Care in Concord has also offered an autism summer camp, although I only found online information on the 2009 program. The Easter Seals Kaleidoscope program in Dublin offers an after school program, and I'm told they extend their schedule to longer days over the summer.

Sarah’s Science “This Land Is Your Land” camp is not designed specifically for special needs children, but the science and nature themes may be of interest to many kids. A mom told me that her son with Asperger’s really enjoyed the camp. Older campers can do more challenging projects, and there is a counselor in training program. The camp is located in San Ramon, Berkeley, and Oakland.

Tech Know How offers camps on computers, Legos and game design. Again, this camp is not designed specifically for kids with special needs, but it does match well with the interests of many kids on the spectrum, and a mom reported her child with Asperger's enjoyed it. They have locations throughout the Bay Area.

Using Television to Teach Teens Social Skills

Social skills get more subtle once kids reach high school, and that’s a time when many teens with autism, Asperger’s and ADHD really start to struggle with friends and peer relationships. Often, these kids have gone through the basic social skills training at school or in a social skills group when they were younger. By now, they want nothing more to do with a formal class, but they’re still missing out on some of the more subtle details.

I thought TV episodes might be a useful, fun way to help teens look at social signals. Although the plots of a lot of teen programs are pretty unrealistic, the situations more mature, and the conversations often more adult and introspective than teens really use, the settings are familiar, and the programs are something teens will relate to. They also tend to use body language, but in a bolder, broader way, which can be easier for teens on the spectrum to pick up on. Finally, because these scenes are online, you can watch and rewatch as many times as you want to catch the details, even muting the dialogue to shift focus to the nonverbals.

This week I’m looking at some personal space and nonverbal communication issues as illustrated by the show Glee. You can see these episodes on Hulu.com for free. Note to parents: some of you may object to the more mature themes in this program. I’ll be looking for other shows to comment on as well, but before banning the program, consider if this is something all the other kids at school are watching. Not having seen a popular show can make it hard for kids to fit in. You can watch together, and discuss issues, such as is this scenario realistic, or appropriate, or does this fit with your own values. (If you have a particular show that’s online that you’d like me to analyze, please comment here, or send me an email.)

In Glee, Season 1 Episode 9, Wheels, the show starts with scenes of cheerleading practice. Sitting alone in the bleachers is blonde Quinn, soon to be joined by tall, dark haired Finn. (If you’re new to this show, it might not be obvious from the ways they’re acting that these two are a couple.) Notice the tense body language. As Finn approaches, he doesn’t greet Quinn, he just sits down, at a distance that’s not typical for a dating couple having a one on one conversation. Quinn doesn’t turn to Finn, she doesn’t lean toward him or adjust her body posture, she barely even looks at him. Before anything is said, and without knowing anything about the plot, it’s clear that this pair is not feeling close and connected. Throughout their scene together, Quinn only turns her eyes or occasionally her face to Finn, never her shoulders or the rest of her body, a clear sign of discord between the pair.

Now look at Season 1, Episode 10, Ballad. The show starts with all the students sitting on the bleachers, spaced evenly with almost mathematical precision. (Your teen may not be aware of this spacing rule, but it’s pretty consistent in our culture. People tend to space themselves out fairly evenly, sitting closer to close friends, but not sitting next to strangers unless the space gets more crowded. Think about a movie theater. If it’s almost empty, sitting in adjacent seats is something only friends do. Strangers space themselves out. As the theater fills, it’s not threatening or inappropriate to sit next to strangers.) The exception to the Glee bleacher spacing, which may not be obvious to kids who don’t pick up on social cues, is Quinn and Finn, sitting together as a couple. Finn’s posture isn’t that different than in the previous episode, but now Quinn is leaning into Finn, almost draped on him. Clearly, she is in a different mood than the previous episode. Notice also that the rest of the students are angled slightly toward the center, indicating some cohesion, and friendship alliances can be gauged just by noting who is sitting together. When the teacher asks, “Who knows what a ballad is?” notice how Rachel immediately thrusts up her hand with too much enthusiasm. Can your child glean information about Rachel’s character from this simple action?

Well, I’ve watched about 5 minutes of TV, and written a full post on the details. What details can you and your teen pick up from body language?

Online DIR® Floortime™ Training

I’ve written on several occasions about Stanley Greenspan, M.D. and the DIR® Floortime™ program. I really like this program for several reasons. DIR® Floortime™ can be done by parents, in the home, it doesn’t have to preclude the use of other therapies, such as ABA, and it is very much a social and relational based model, which makes sense to me as a psychotherapist. Of equal value, parents can get started pretty quickly, by reading books, joining an online group, or taking courses, even if they’re waiting for a diagnosis, or in a long line waiting for services. If money is tight, parents can get training relatively inexpensively, and get started without a huge investment. The model helps parents learn to interact with their children in a more engaging manner, taking the child’s developmental level into account and gently helping the child to progress. For parents hoping to enhance their child's social skills, DIR® Floortime™ can be a great place to start.

Stanley Greenspan, M. D. is presenting the Basic Course on the DIR® Floortime™ Model online for parents and professionals, starting on March 12, 2010. I took this online course a few years ago, and really appreciated the ability to take it from home, review the materials as many times as I wanted, and the chance to see Dr. Greenspan in action with children, as well as the relatively low cost. There are also a few workshops being offers, A Lifespan Approach to Autism, Meltdowns, and Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders.

Treatment Options: What is P.L.A.Y. Project®?

There are so many treatment options for children on the autism spectrum, it can be really confusing for parents.  Different programs may sound like the same thing, other programs have trademarks, or they’re proprietary, or they’ve been developed in one location and not available elsewhere. What’s the difference? Is there one best treatment? Can different  programs be used together? In the end, it all comes down to one question: how do you figure out the best treatment for your own child?

In the interest of sorting this out, I try to provide specific information when I can find an expert who is really knowledgeable about a specific treatment program. For example, you can see an earlier interview on DIR/Floortime.

One option that you may have heard of is P.L.A.Y. Project®. Today I’m taking to Joanne Finn, a Licensed Educational Psychologist, who also provides private services as a home consultant for families of children with an autism spectrum disorder through the P.L.A.Y Project®.

Patricia Robinson:
Joanne, Can you explain the P.L.A.Y. Project®?

Joanne Finn:
P.L.A.Y Project® was started by Dr. Rick Solomon, a developmental pediatrician, who wanted to develop an affordable, family-friendly and effective early intervention program for children with autism spectrum disorders ages 18 months to seven years.  P.L.A.Y Project is an international program with home consultants serving families in 27 states and 3 countries outside of the U.S.  The program focuses on helping parents to help their children build emotional connections and engage in meaningful relationships.

As a school psychologist, I became interested in finding more ways to support parents who really wanted to help their children at home. A friend introduced me to  DIR®/Floortime™ and I was excited to find the P.L.A.Y. Project model of home consultation. I recently became a licensed provider for P.L.A.Y. and I am so happy to be able to provide this to parents.  What I really love about being a PLAY home consultant is working with parents. Children spend more time with their parents than all of their teachers and therapists combined. So parents are really the best ones to help their child learn to connect.

P.L.A.Y Project uses the DIR®/Floortime™ model of Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a nationally respected child psychiatrist. DIR stands for developmental, individual-differences, and relationship-based. This means that parent-and-child interactions are highly valued and respected.  A child’s emotional development depends so much on the intimate connection between a baby and parents – from early smiles and coos, to looks and gestures, verbal language, and ideas about how the world works.  For a child with autism these connections can be disrupted because of the child’s challenging neurological disorder. As a home consultant I carefully analyze a child’s unique individual differences to determine the best play activities, methods and techniques to help relationship happen. And it does happen!  Dr. Solomon’s initial pilot study of 70 children with autism demonstrated that 65% of the children in the P.L.A.Y. Project made good to excellent progress.  P.L.A.Y. Project has recently been awarded a $1.85 million grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health to conduct a three-year study of the model. 

P.L.A.Y. Project is one type of  DIR/Floortime service delivery model.   Floortime therapy can be delivered many different ways - through a school program like Creekside, during OT or Speech therapy, through private play therapy by a psychologist, through clinic or home consultation.  P.L.A.Y. Project consists of a specific structure to provide DIR/Floortime through home consultation.  Aspects specific to P.L.A.Y.include use of the PLAY Project Workshop DVD for an initial introduction, a 3-hour home visit once or twice monthly, the use of video and video feedback reports as part of the coaching.  PLAY project home consultants must be trained in DIR/Floortime techniques by PLAY Project trainers and must work with a licensed PLAY Project agency. (I am my own licensed agency). Home consultants are also strongly encouraged to participate in ICDL DIR/Floortime Institute certificate program.

P.L.A.Y Project format looks like this: As a home consultant, I make one or two home visits per month for a 3 hour block of time. During that time I observe parent and child during play sessions and during their daily routine. I offer coaching and support to the parents, and as the child builds trust I model play techniques for the parents.  With permission, I also videotape some of the play.  Between visits I analyze the videotape to better understand the child’s strengths and needs.  And I provide additional input in the form of a Video Review report.  The parent receives the report and the video between visits to help them continue their learning and to help train others such as grandparents, friends and other caregivers.

Most of my current families are using P.L.A.Y Project to supplement their child’s half-day school program or ABA home therapy.  P.L.A.Y. Project and ABA are complementary and have different strategic directions.  DIR/Floortime is distinctive from ABA as it emphasizes following a child’s interests and preferences rather than therapist initiated activities.  DIR/Floortime emphasizes emotion to create engagement and connection rather than primarily focusing on building skills. And PLAY Project’s main focus is integrating parents into the therapy.

Patricia Robinson:
Joanne, thanks for explaining the details of this program. East Bay parents in Northern California can contact Joanne Finn  directly through her website, and those in other locations can check out the P.L.A.Y Project website to find a local provider.

Book Review: No More Meltdowns by Jed Baker, Ph.D.

No More Meltdowns by Jed Baker, Ph.D. is an excellent resource for parents trying to deal with their child’s out of control behavior, whether the kids have a diagnosis or not. This book is straightforward, with a simple step by step plan for dealing with tantrums and meltdowns. At the same time, there are plenty of detailed examples that show how to fit the simple plan to complex situations.

Certainly parenting is tougher when children have special needs, like an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s or Attention Deficit (ADHD or ADD). And frequently these parents have to also deal with harsh judgment from the world every time their kids act up. Too often, parents are simply told to be firm, be consistent, take control, and their kids will behave. Well, what should parents do if they are firm and consistent, and it still doesn’t help? This book offers some solutions, and since the author has experience dealing with special needs kids, the ideas are realistic and practical for all families.

Baker acknowledges the basic rule of of child rearing, using consistent rewards and consequences. And that’s a good place for all parents to start. But he quickly moves beyond that to a four step plan of action for when this basic plan just doesn’t work. His model begins with accepting the child, then moves on to de-escalating a meltdown, understanding why the meltdowns are occurring in the first place and preventing future meltdowns.   

The real heart of the book is its detailed analysis to understand why meltdowns are occurring, and the techniques to set up a plan to prevent them in the future. Baker breaks down the different issues that might cause problems, then methodically explains how to change the triggers causing the tantrums, teaching the child skills to deal with the triggers, and how to set up a system of rewards and losses.

One thing I really appreciated in No More Meltdowns was the way that Baker exhibits respect and understanding of the children and parents in his examples. These aren’t presented as bad, out of control kids, with ineffective parents. Instead Baker acknowledges the difficulties of these tough situations and focuses on both short term crisis management and also long term skill building. This is a book I’ll be sure to recommend to my clients.

Playing Outside

Playing outside is one of the core experiences we all remember from childhood, but all too often it doesn’t happen for kids with special needs like Asperger’s, autism and ADHD. And that’s really a shame, because outdoor play is often the easiest way for all sorts of diverse personalities, abilities, and ages to interact.

School politics can get very specific, with each child interacting with only the chosen few in a social clique. Different ages, groups and genders rarely mix at school. But kids aren’t quite so particular when it comes to neighborhood play. A lot of that just comes from opportunity. In neighborhood play, there just aren’t so many kids to choose from. It’s not uncommon for neighbors who’d never talk at school to spend days together at home, having a great time. There’s nothing wrong with this. Schools can be about cliques, but home can be much more open. Not every neighborhood friend has to turn into a best friend at school.

The great thing about outdoor play is that it’s unstructured. There aren’t rules like there might be in team sports, there aren’t even goals or objectives. Kids can just run around, invent new games and be creative. And that’s where kids with ADHD and ASDs can really shine. Their creativity and energy may make these kids the highly sought after playmates.

Why don’t you give it a try? Make sure your children are spending some time in the front yard where the neighbors can find them. Pay attention to where other kids live. Then, maybe your child can take the plunge. Parents have to step back here, but it’s easy to coach your child. Just ring the doorbell, ask for the child and say something really basic like, “Hi, I’m Matthew. Do you want to come out and play?” That’s it. That may be all it take for your child to interact with peers, spend time outside, and probably have a great time.

Are You Off to a Good Start with the School Year?

Here in the East Bay, most schools are in the second week of the new school year. It’s a stressful time, because everyone is dealing with a lot of change. This time of year can be especially difficult for kids with ASD’s like Asperger's or autism, or attention issues like ADHD or ADD. Routines are not yet established, teacher expectations are uncertain, and social issues are constantly changing. With all this going on, it really pays off to check in closely with your kids.

I worked with kids for years, both as a therapist and in the schools, and from this I know that the most proactive parents get the best results. It’s a hectic time of year, but a little extra effort now will pay off. In my experience, teachers and principals really are trying. But, budgets are tight, there may be misunderstandings, there are too many kids and not enough time. No one is as motivated to help your child as you are. Here are a few early check-in points.

1. Does Your Child Get the New Systems?

Homework, bringing home books, using the library, getting extra help, lunchtime routines. Every year the rules change a bit. It can be very confusing for any child. But, now is the time to make things clear. Maybe you can run through your child’s day and make sure there’s no confusion.

2. Are Friendships Starting Up?

I can’t stress enough that the beginning of the school year is when most kids shift friendships. It happens gradually, but the groundwork is being laid now. Help your child maneuver through these confusing changes. Just talking about it can help make things clear. Teachers can be a great resource when there are problems.

3. Monitor the Situation

Are there potential issues showing up early? Maybe you won’t want to do anything, but just pay attention to it. Or, if the problem is severe, catching it early can allow you to make a quick fix, like a classroom transfer that won’t be possible in a few months.

Of course, you shouldn’t be combative with the school, after all they are responsible for your child for hours every day. But that doesn’t mean you can’t track things carefully. Jot down private notes if you’re uneasy about a school situation. If things get worse, you’ve got some data, and if the problem goes away, no harm done. Too often, I see parents frustrated by months of difficulties, and only then do they start to document the details. An entire school year can be lost when that happens.

Pretty soon, things will settle into a routine and it's going to be a lot easier!

As the School Year Ends

In my last post, I gave some tips on setting things up so that kids have a fun and social summer. On the flip side of that planning, I think it’s important to think a bit about academics, such as what worked and didn’t work this school year.

Has it been a great year? I hope so. Now is a good time to analyze that success. Was the teacher a great fit? It might make sense to schedule an end of year meeting and get that teacher’s tips for what might work next year. Lot’s of structure, frequent breaks, short term rewards, a buddy system? You child’s teacher has probably put a great deal of time and effort into fine tuning a classroom and homework situation that has been effective. Now is a good time to see what can carry over to the next year. If possible, the teacher could even meet with next year’s teacher to pass on some of these tips.

Has it been a bad year? Thankfully, it’s almost over. Before you breathe a big sign of relief, it will probably pay to consider what the problems were. Compare this bad year to one that worked out better. Was there a big difference in teacher personality, the tone of the classroom, the way homework or discipline was handled?

Remember, you are the expert on dealing with your child. You’ll need to share your expertise with teachers, the principal, and all the specialists who will be working with your child. It’s best if you can be precise, detailed and concrete in discussing how to manage your child’s education. Saying something vague, like, “Ms. Jones was really nice, my son liked her a lot better than Ms. Smith.” will not be very helpful. But, if you put a bit of effort in now, you’ll be able to come up with a very clear statement, like, “My son does best in a structured and quiet classroom, like he had in third grade. In fourth grade, the room was much busier and louder; he reacted badly to that  much stimulation. He also responded very enthusiastically to his first grade teacher’s visual behavior plan.”

See what details you can figure out for your child.

Making Friends: Tips for Lunchtime Socializing

Sitting in the cafeteria at the lunch table is a classic school experience - and the time your child may feel most isolated and alone. For kids who struggle with social skills, like those with Asperger’s, autism and ADHD, lunch period can be one of the worst in the day. But, if your child can manage to make a few changes, lunchtime can be a time for fun and friendship. This is a perfect area where parents can coach their child to social success.

Timing is Everything:

Kids on the autism spectrum or ADHD can be struggling with the executive functioning aspects of getting to lunch - things like packing up the backpack and finding the lunch box, or navigating the hallways to get to the lunch room. Or, they may race from the classroom without talking to anyone. This might mean that your child is the first to arrive in an empty lunchroom, or the last one to walk in, when all the seats are full.

The goal is to get to the lunch room somewhere in the middle of the crowd. If your child is the first into the room, he’s faced with empty tables, where he has to sit down alone, and then somehow draw others to him. Kids who have close friends have enough “social power” to pull others to their table. But, it would be unusual for other kids to sit down with kids who are struggling socially. There’s nothing worse than sitting all alone.

It can be tempting for your child to dawdle on the way to the lunch room. The problem is that when the dawdler arrives, the tables might be packed. Your child may have no place to sit down, or be forced to sit with younger kids, older kids, or, even worse, mean kids. Better to get there a few minutes earlier, and have a bit of control over the table mates.

Lunch Lines Provide Social Structure:

The chaotic, unstructured quality of the lunchroom is one of its toughest aspects. Waiting in the cafeteria line is a bit easier. Just a few kids are standing near your child, and they are pretty much stuck there. This is your child’s chance to strike up a conversation. The topic is easy - what’s for lunch, what happened in class, what’s coming up that afternoon.

Fit In With Food:

Pay attention to what the other kids are eating. Usually, there are two separate lines, for kids who buy and kids who bring, maybe a separate line to buy drinks. Figure out if your child is the only one buying or bringing. This sets him or her apart from the other kids and makes it tougher to stick with the crowd. Even for kids bringing a special diet, it may be worthwhile for them to stand in line with the others to pick up fruit or a beverage.

Looking for a Table:

Once your child is ready to sit down, it’s time to scan for friends, acquaintances, or classmates. The goal here is to find the kids your child knows best and see if they’re open to table mates. Explain the social rankings of schools to your child. It’s never a good idea for socially struggling kids to try to sit at the popular table. Even if they’re not rejected, they’ve committed a social error and are open to all sorts of later problems.

You should coach your child on the basics of looking busy, not standing desperate and alone. Brainstorm ideas like checking out the salad bar, putting on a jacket, filling a water bottle. These little activities give your child a chance to scan the room while looking busy, and to wait for a more social spot to open up.

An Escape Plan

For some kids, lunchtime is torture and no amount of planning and scheming improve things. It’s perfectly reasonable for parents to request a different plan rather than have a child suffer for an hour every day. The office, a teacher’s room, or the library can all offer a safe refuge. It’s important to keep trying, and socializing is learned through repeated efforts. At the same time, if things aren’t going well, maybe your child just needs a break from the effort for a few weeks. 

Sex Education for Kids and Teens with Autism and Asperger's: A Conversation with Sarah Attwood

Note: Added 4/11/10. This blog has moved! I'll be leaving the old blog up for a while, but updated posts will be on my new blog. For more info on this topic, as well as lots of book reviews, professional and personal resources for individuals of all ages with Asperger's, autism, ADHD and ASDs, please check my new blog, Thrive on the Autism Spectrum.

Puberty and sex can be tough for any parents to discuss with their children, but it's important. And for kids, preteens, and teenagers with autism and Asperger's, sex education is vital. Kids on the autism spectrum may be less socially sophisticated than peers, but their physical development will progress regardless if they, or their parents, are ready to handle the changes. For your child's safety and happiness, parents need to put aside any reservations and start discussing sex!

Today, I'm talking with Sarah Attwood, the author of Making Sense of Sex: A Forthright Guide to Puberty, Sex and Relationships for People with Asperger's Syndrome. (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2008) Ms Attwood has been a sexuality educator in Australia for fifteen years, and has worked extensively with parents and their preteen and teenage children.

Patricia Robinson: Sarah, your book is different than other sex education books because it's specifically written to adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome. How is the information in your book tailored specifically to those on the autistic spectrum? What do you think are the special concerns and issues of teens with autism and Asperger's?

Sarah Attwood:You're quite right, Patricia, that young people on the autism spectrum are going to go through the changes of puberty in exactly the same way as all other people, and for this reason they need exactly the same information as everyone else. However, the nature of autism and Asperger's syndrome means that there are some specific issues which usually aren't addressed in regular puberty books, and that's why Jessica Kingsley asked me to write Making Sense of Sex.

Lots of regular puberty books use contemporary language - 'teen talk', if you like - and while this can be fun and amusing, it isn't always to everybody's taste, so I decided that it was more important to treat the subject with respect, and use a straightforward, factual tone (hopefully not too deadly serious, however!). I took into consideration that most people with ASD enjoy facts and appreciate being able to apply logic, so I have always explained 'why' as well as 'what'. An example of this is when I discuss hygiene (an issue for a lot of adolescents, whether or not they have ASD!). I explain EXACTLY what causes body odour, which bits of the body are affected most specifically, the reasons why it is important to wash regularly (health as well as social reasons), and exactly HOW to wash. I don't assume knowledge or make generalisations that can be misinterpreted. Because of the love of knowledge that most people with ASD have, I have provided plenty of facts. For example, the usual rule in sexuality education is to avoid giving young people any sort of hang-ups by giving facts and figures regarding penis size; it's standard practice to say something like 'Whatever size your penis is, is exactly right for you.' This isn't clear enough or reassuring enough for young people on the autism spectrum, however. So I have given specific measurements of both flaccid and erect penises (of fully grown men), and plenty of other reassuring facts about penises, so that there is no room for confusion or doubt.

I have also been careful throughout the book to use correct terminology, with a view to modelling this so that adolescents know how to talk about sex in a respectful way, and can make themselves understood. There is a whole chapter dedicated to the subject of sexual language (including slang), as young people with ASD so often miss out on what is current because they aren't included in teenage groups.

There are some social issues surrounding puberty that can be veritable minefields for young people with ASD, and which are often not included in any detail in regular puberty books - namely, the rules that surround sexual behaviour (especially public vs. private behaviour, body parts, places and language); friendships; coping with teasing, bullying and peer pressure; and handling strong emotions (a particularly important issue for people on the autism spectrum). So I have included whole chapters on these subjects, with some specific guidelines, laid out in dot point format for easy reference.  All young people need someone they can turn to when they have questions or anxieties, and research shows that most youngsters would love to be able to talk to their parents about sexual issues. Many don't, however, often due to their parents' discomfort with the topic, instead turning to their friends for information (or misinformation). Adolescents on the autism spectrum may not be able to turn to a group of friends, so it is absolutely vital that parents and carers fulfil the role of mentor. There is no place for squeamishness or embarrassment - parents and carers MUST educate themselves and be there for their child. Throughout the book I make reference to the young person's social mentor, and give many pointers as to the role this person may take in terms of providing reassurance and guidance, giving accurate information, and helping with friendship skills and emotion management.

At the end of the book, I provide quite an extensive list of resources, both for parents and for the young people themselves. Some of these are specific to people on the autism spectrum and some are mainstream but still very relevant.

The book is illustrated with diagrams and cartoons to provide both detailed information (anatomical drawings etc.) and fun ways of viewing some of the points made in the different chapters. I hope these illustrations make the book more accessible and reader-friendly.

Patricia Robinson: Thanks for your comments!