3 Reasons kids on the autism spectrum may be more susceptible to bullying and what you can do about it
Like anyone else, children with autism spectrum disorder are susceptible to bullying. In fact, kids with ASD may be at a disadvantage in social situations that can leave them more exposed to bullies than your average child. One 2015 study by the Autism Research Journal showed 44 percent of children with autism reported being bullied.*
Here are 3 ways children with ASD are more likely to be victimized by bullies and what you can do about it:
Difficulty understanding social norms. Children with ASD can sometimes have difficulty picking up on social situations and behaviours that others may take for granted. For example, they may have difficulty understanding facial expressions, tone of voice or body language expressed by their peers. They may not even realize they are being bullied at all.
Inability to communicate with peers. Some children with ASD have difficulty accurately articulating thoughts and feelings which can make it challenging to communicate with their peers. They may even accidentally offend peers opening themselves up to retaliation in the form of bullying.
Poor self-esteem. It’s tough to think about but often bullies prey on people who lack the self-esteem to defend themselves. Children with ASD may appear isolated from their peers. Feelings of inadequacy, anxiety and the appearance of being depressed can make them targets for opportunistic bullies.
So what can you do about it?
Stand up to bullying!
According to Gloria Verret RNNII, CPN, of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, “Bystanders like parents, teachers and peers have great power to stop bullying. More than 50 percent of bullying situations stop when someone intervenes.” *
Tell your child’s teacher and school officials if you hear your child or another child is being bullied at school.
In a recent article in Healthline on sibling bullying Mayra Mendez, Ph.D. and licensed psychotherapist stated, “Parents should speak clearly, openly, and concretely with the child being bullied and reassure them that you are listening and will take action to stop the bullying.” **
If you see something - say something, do something.
Talk to your child about being bullied
Encourage your child to speak up if they are being bullied or witness bullying at school. Make your home a safe place to talk about bullying. Assure them that they are not to blame for being bullied.
If your child is being bullied, avoid telling your child to “fight back”. It will escalate the situation and lead to ineffective problem-solving and emotional regulation.
Here are some tips you can give to help your child avoid bullying:
Stay in safe areas
Fight back with WORDS, not fists
Stay close to friends
Don’t self-blame
Collect evidence to report being bullied to the appropriate people
Prevent Bullying
Speak to your child about bullying. Talk with them to help them understand what it is and the different ways it can occur and explain why it’s wrong. Ask them how it would feel if they were being bullied. Empathy is the key to preventing bullying.
Here are some effective ways you can teach your child to prevent bullying when they see it.
Tell an adult
If they are worried about being labelled a tattle-tail they can write an anonymous letter
Make friends with the person being bullied and support them
Teach your child not to forward messages or photos that could hurt someone
Teach your child not to spread rumours
Use their voice; say something to stop the situation they are witnessing
For more insights check out some of our references and resources below
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