Is My Teen with Autism Going to be Bullied?
As parents, we all want the best for our teens, and the thought that our teen could be bullied at school is thoroughly unsettling. With reports of teen bullying on the rise, it’s natural for parents to wonder if their teen will be bullied and how they can step in to help.
Understanding if my Teen Could Face Bullying
Sadly, no teens are entirely safe from the possibility of being picked on, but students with special needs can be at a higher risk. A 2018 study from Autism Speaks found that up to 60 percent of these students can face bullying, a rate of more than double their peers. What causes this disparity, and what can parents do to protect their teen and ensure they are in a positive environment?
Causes of Bullying
It can be difficult for parents to relate to and understand why a teen might be bullied. Unfortunately, there are many potential causes of bullying, but the most prominent seems to be rooted in an imbalance of power between teens.
This power imbalance can be physically manifested, for example, through differences in age, height, and physical abilities. Or the power imbalance can be rooted in a more emotional manifestation, for example, the perception of relational intelligence or popularity. Whatever the root cause, bullying can have a detrimental effect on a teen’s development. In extreme cases, a teen can begin to believe the insults they receive.
Bullies can target teens with special needs as these perceived power differences can sometimes be more defined. If your teen is facing schoolyard bullies, it’s essential to ask the right questions in order to address the situation and prevent harm to your teen.
How Parents Can Address Their Teen Being Bullied
If you suspect your teen is being bullied, try to talk to them to understand the situation better. If your teen tells you they’re being bullied directly, always take their words seriously and don’t look for the problem to resolve itself. The longer bullying occurs, the greater the likelihood of long-term developmental damage.
Help build your teen’s self-esteem and find ways to boost their confidence to better withstand bullies. You can seek out school counselors and speak with school officials to understand what policies and resources the school has in place to help.
If the situation is not improving, you may want to consider switching your teen to a new school. While this can be tempting as it seems like it will circumvent the problem altogether, if the right questions aren’t answered ahead of time, your teen may end up in a similar situation in a new environment.
Specialized Schools Could Help
Before deciding to switch your teen to a new school, ask yourself if your teen enjoys going to school, if they are succeeding academically, and if efforts are being made to approach any academic and bullying problems that may be arising.
If the answer to any of these questions is no, a specialized school may provide a more welcoming environment that is supportive of your teen’s educational success. Specialized schools support the development of teens with special needs in ways that public schools are not equipped to.
A specialized school can provide unique programs and opportunities like:
Grouping students by ability and not age
More attention from faculty
Specialized educational and development plans tailored to their needs
Instructors trained to support them
Transition programs for success after school
At PS Academy, we strive to enrich the lives of our students through our customized elementary and secondary programs, so they are best set up to succeed academically and socially, throughout their lives.
We offer a safe environment for all of our students, where they are grouped by ability and not by age, so that no student ever feels left behind. Once your teen turns 18, we have a specialized transition program that will help your teen prepare for life after high school by providing opportunities to develop both vocational and independent living skills.
Our motto is to see past the label and focus on the able. We can help your teen discover and develop their passions while navigating a path to their future successes. Contact PS Academy today to have a commitment-free chat with one of our team members to learn more about any of our programs, or to schedule a virtual tour.
A PARENT'S GUIDE TO AUTISM
What should you do after learning your child has Autism?
Here are some helpful resources we have compiled for parents in Arizona to help you and your family navigate these waters.
