Supporting Minimally Verbal Autistic Girls with Intellectual Disabilities Through Puberty: Perspectives of Parents and Educators.
Clare Cummins, Elizabeth Pellicano, Laura Crane
PMID 30357644WHAT IT FOUND
Parents and educators described varied puberty needs in minimally verbal autistic girls with intellectual disabilities.
Menstrual care was prioritised for dignity and independence, taught in small individualised steps over long periods. These are perspectives, not tested outcomes.
Key findings
01All nine girls had started periods, and needs varied from independent pad management to step-by-step support.
02Menstrual care was prioritised for dignity and independence, and was often taught in gradual steps.
03Supports included vibrating watches, visual strips and Social Stories, but Social Stories were not always accessible.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The girls themselves were not interviewed; parental consent allowed only four, and pilot data were insufficient to report their views. Findings come from 10 parents and 10 educators in UK and Ireland special schools, so they may not represent other families, settings or girls. This is a qualitative study of perspectives, not a test of puberty supports, so it cannot show that any strategy improved outcomes. Inclusion depended on parental confirmation of autism, intellectual disability and minimally verbal status, and pubertal changes were parent-reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that puberty supports work or that minimally verbal autistic girls with intellectual disabilities generally have positive puberty. It reports 10 parents and 10 educators' perspectives, not the girls' own views or tested outcomes.