| Being autistic is not easy, social skills deficits and | | | | skills story is a short descriptive framework of a skill or |
| sensory processing issues can hinder your social | | | | behaviour that the autistic person is struggling to |
| development. | | | | master or cope with, for example puberty. |
| The teenage years are for the vast majority of us our | | | | Puberty is stressful even when you're not autistic, but |
| most social years, but when your autistic these years | | | | to the teen with autism this period of their lives can be |
| can be stressful and confusing. A changing body, | | | | fraught with frustrations and anxieties. Social stories |
| experiences, transitions, puberty, increased hormones | | | | can show the teen with autism how to cope with the |
| and desires change us and our peers. A once | | | | changes happening too them and around them. |
| acceptable habit or behaviour may be frowned upon in | | | | A social skills story breaks the skill, situation, behaviour |
| the teenage years. | | | | or change down into small pieces and with the use of |
| Consequently, many teenagers with autism look for | | | | first person text and images or pictures explains in a |
| treatments and techniques that will help them | | | | consistent manner, answering the important "wh" |
| understand and cope with this stressful time | | | | questions – who, where, when, why and what as |
| effectively. | | | | well as giving an insight into the thoughts, feelings and |
| Treatments for autism like social skills stories are just | | | | emotions of others, which helps reduce anxieties and |
| one of a few treatments for autism available. Social | | | | stresses. |
| skills stories are especially good at this time. They are | | | | Research shows the use of social skills stories can |
| an excellent method for explaining changes, and | | | | make a positive difference to the life of an autistic |
| addressing social and communication deficits as well | | | | teenager. By introducing social stories for teens with |
| as sensory processing difficulties to teenagers with | | | | autism you can help your autistic teenager realise and |
| autism. | | | | deal with the changes that occur to them and around |
| A social skills story is an excellent way of coping with | | | | them during adolescents. |
| the teenage years when you're autistic. The social | | | | |