Playtimes
caught up with Dr Isabelle
Hénault, a psychologist and sexologist
specializing in ASD and Asperger’s
Syndrome, who shared her advice
and explained why this is a powerful
conversation parents of young people
with ASD should lean into.
PT:
Talking about sex is a challenge
for a lot of parents, why is that?
DH:
We can take some comfort
knowing we’re all in the same boat
when it comes to talking about sex. It
is often a “hot potato” for parents, with
few parents clarifying which of them will
take on the conversation. On top of this,
there is very little information on how
to approach the subject so parents,
and even some professionals, lack
guidance.
PT:
Why is it so important to talk
about sex, especially for young
people with ASD?
DH:
Young people with ASD have
trouble reading social cues and
interpersonal signals, so they need to
get practical help around relationships
and sex. They may also be facing
social difficulties resulting in having few
or no friends to talk about sex with.
Remember back to when you were
going through puberty, it’s likely most
of your information came from friends.
Young people today with ASD may be
looking online rather than to friends, and
they risk having adult entertainment and
porn as the only source of information.
PT:
What can happen if adult
entertainment is the only channel
of information?
DH:
Pornography as a sole reference
can have major negative consequences
for the young person concerned. If
they do not have any other sexual
experiences, they might think this
is how sex takes place and imitate
actions they’ve found on the web in
a real life situation. In a worst case
scenario, these negative models can
lead to inappropriate behaviours,
Talking about sex
with young people
with autism
Talking about sex with young people isn’t
the easiest of parental tasks says
Rebecca
Simpson
. Throw autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
into the mix and the conversation can become
even trickier. “The sex talk” is an important one
to hold with all young people, but for those with
ASD it’s all the more important.
September 2016
57
