Why Explaining Sexuality To Specially-abled Children Is Important

Sex education these days is gaining popularity, however, Specially-Abled Children face problem understanding about it, our expert, Samrudhi Patkar talks about sexuality and how to explain it to these special kids.

Sex Education these days has gained much popularity after the onset of many cases of sexual abuse on children. Explaining sexuality to children when they hit puberty and sometimes even earlier is seen as crucial these days. The role of teachers and parents here plays a vital part because children, irrespective of their development abilities need to be told about sexuality, as it’s the only way they stay safe from any abuse or embarrassment.

Explaining sexuality to a specially-abled child though marked as important, but comes with extra and innovative efforts. Samrudhi Patkar, Clinical Psychologist, explains six major strategies to explain sexuality to these children.

1. Explaining them through visuals
2. Role Play
3. Marking and Labelling
4. Videos
5. Social Story
6. Using medical terms

The Neurodiverse children (Specially-abled) like those of a Neurotypical child (a normal child) undergoes the same physical, mental, emotional, and sexual changes in their body. Which is why it’s important that parents and relatives living together with an autistic child, explain to them about sexuality and their bodily changes.

Puberty in these children starts as normal as every other child. These children also notice the bodily changes and tend to touch the parts or talk about such changes in public. Parents must deal with such behaviors without hurting the child emotionally.

Psychologist Samruddhi says, “Parents need to first make these children understand about talking about such things in public and private. They need to explain the children about what topics they can discuss when and that’s how a specially-abled child understands when not to discuss what,”. The tone of the voice, visual examples, and also repeated memorizing helps these children to understand sexuality better.

Parents becoming comfortable to explain sexuality is Vital

It’s very crucial that parents themselves become very comfortable and aware of sexuality and private parts and feel no embarrassment or not stick to social taboos. There are chances where these children learn about sexuality through other means (Internet) which is why parents need to explain to them about sexuality using the right mediums. The use of medical terms is much preferred than any coding language.

Parents can take these children to stores and supermarkets which will help them choose a product (A sanitary napkin, as an example) themselves. This will allow them to learn and understand more about such matters.

Consent has a major role while socially traveling with these children. Parents must explain about consent to these children, which will make the child and the parent to stay away from any embarrassing/troublesome situations.

Psychologist Samruddhi says, “Children with autism tend to hug and be close to the other sex like a normal child does. But when these children hug or touch the opposite sex, social receiving is always different. This is why parents need to explain to the children about taking the consent of the opposite sex before these children try to hug or touch the other gender,”.

Explaining sexuality to these children can play a major role in letting the child know his/her boundaries. It also enables them to behave in a socially accepted manner and hence sex education in these children is as important as any other child.