This document discusses sexuality education for individuals with autism. It notes that puberty begins around ages 9-12 for girls and boys respectively. Individuals with autism experience the same physical changes and urges as their neurotypical peers. Sexuality education is important to prevent abuse, teach appropriate behavior, and address common myths. Topics covered include masturbation, inappropriate touching, prevention of abuse, and addressing arousal behaviors. The document stresses that sexuality is a normal part of human development and individuals with autism deserve support in understanding their bodies and relationships.

1. Autism
Making sense of Sex
&
Sexuality
AK Kundra PhD

2. Sex – Sexuality
&
The Challenge
 Sex : Male / Female
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3. Sex is part of our life – Not a
Taboo
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4. Lets Start at the Start
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5. Is there any research
in India on Sexuality
education or
Intervention ?
Zero
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6. 6
Autism - Making Sense of Sex & Sexuality-AKK
Stages of Puberty
Girls – 9 onwards
Boys –12 onwards

7. Why make your Child with autism
learn about Sex & Sexuality
 1. They are as sexual as any NT adolescent
can be.
 Their body grows as per age
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8. Why make your Child with autism
learn about Sex & Sexuality
 2. Sexual Abuse
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9. Why make your Child with autism
learn about Sex & Sexuality
 3. Same Hormones-Same Urges
 Same needs - Same choices
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10. Why make your Child with autism
learn about Sex & Sexuality
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 4. Internet Porn

11. Know Touch – No Touch
Prevent Abuse before it happens
 No secret touches
 Teaching to say “ NO “
 Teach Self-protective skills
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12. Sexual abuse
 Starts from known persons – rarely from
strangers
 Caregivers - Secondary
 Therapists
 Teachers
 Personal assistants like drivers, maids,
chowkidars etc
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13. Sexuality teaching:
Whose duty is it?
 60% home and parents
 30% school
 10% by specialists like physicians etc
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14. What is sex?
 Sex is just a behaviour. - J. Bering (2012)
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15. Goals
 -Boy or Girl
 -Ladies room or Men’s room
 -With whom can your child get :
 - Naked
 - Masturbate
 - Help with toileting or Menstruation
 - Touch certain parts of his or her body
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16. Myths about Sexuality
 That adolescents or young adults with autism
have no interest in Sexuality
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17. Myths about Sexuality
 They are hypersexual
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18. Myths about Sexuality
 They are solely heterosexual
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19. The truth about Sexuality
 Understanding of Sexuality must be
proactively pursued
 Not after an abuse has happened leaving the
child in trauma.
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20. Masturbation
 The most typical sexual behaviour among
individuals with autism
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21. Masturbation
 Is normal and should not be condemned
 Exploring genitals for self-pleasure and starts
in infancy itself
 No one teaches Masturbation – it is learnt on
their own
 May or may not reach orgasm
 Masturbation may be the only sexual outlet for
most people with autism
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22. Where to masturbate?
 Create private spaces to masturbate in
- his or her bedroom
- Avoid teaching use of bathroom
- Teach rules for correct time / place
- Make him aware that its not always an option
- Provide private time
- Schedule private time and help them
understand
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23. Let him masturbate if he or she
feels like doing it:
 Masturbation is not dirty or a sin
 Its normal part of his sexuality
 You should not let guilt or shame overtake
your child
 And it is NOT unhealthy
 At most it can irritate the skin around the
Penis.
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24. Do girls with autism Masturbate?
 The answer is YES.
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25. Girls : Is it OK?
 It is NORMAL for your daughter to have sexual
urges and interest.
 Discussing masturbation is an anxiety-provoking
moment for any parent.
 Take up the topic with your daughter in a manner
that is consistent with your family’s belief system.
 Set rules that are both age appropriate and
comfortable for you to follow through with. This
includes acknowledging
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26. Inappropriate Touch
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27. Inappropriate Touch
 Hugging
 Kissing
 Touching privates
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28. Prevention
 Make your son or daughter independent in
ADLs
 Make him sleep in his own bed
 Teach personal hygiene
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29. When your son sleeps alone in
his own bed -
 He is NOT lonely
 He is learning to be independent
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30. Oedipus Complex
 Is a mother-son fixation
 Leads to the son never being independent of
the mother.
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31. Visual Simulation
 More in women compared to me
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32. Crucial age for parents
 13 years to 19 year olds
 Behaviours reach a peak till 19
 Taper off post teens
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33. Arousal Behaviours – Aggressive
that could be assaultive or SI
 Some anti-psychotics cause longer and
consecutively painful erections
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34. Sexual Arousal
 Satvik food : No Onion – No Gralic
 Making them wear loose/tight clothes
 Keeping them away from visual stimulants
 Keeping them meaningfully engaged
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35. Areas that Require Attention
 Individual values, ethics, morals, social
responsibility
• Respect wishes of others
• Religious beliefs
• Appropriate public vs. private behaviour
• Touch: when, what, where, who
• Never OK to touch a younger child
• Masturbation - May need direct instruction
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36. Is marriage possible?
 Possible, but not advisable.
 Even if marriage is possible, it may or may not
be consummated.
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37. Is Temple Grandin married?
 Temple Grandin, a savant and the most
visible face of autism choose not to marry.
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38. Any Questions?
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