Let’s talk about autism and periods

Emily Katy

Blogger @ Authentically Emily

There is little research on the experiences of autistic people and periods, likely due to the narrative of autism still being heavily focused on cis autistic boys and autistic men. However, we know that periods can be harder for autistic people, so we must have this conversation.

Sensory issues can be a huge difficulty for autistic people managing periods. Many report that existing sensory difficulties are worse at this time, rendering them even more hypersensitive to noise, taste and smell, which can create more barriers to managing day to day life. Additional sensory difficulties which come with periods can make this even harder to manage. For example, period products can be harder to use and manage, and the sensory issues from physical pain as well as nausea and other physical side-effects can make this time unbearable.

Autistic people tend to struggle with executive functioning. This means knowing what you need to do and how to do this. For a young autistic especially, this can be really hard when managing their periods. Remembering to carry period products and to change them is hard.

“While most people end up learning how to put a pad on when they get a period, autistic people often need to practice before. For them, it’s not just about learning to do something new; it’s also all the sensory experiences, the noises, the sounds, the smells.” – Robyn Steward

Many autistic people, especially young autistics, report that period pants (particularly ModiBodi) are a lifesaver in helping them to manage their periods, as they are much more sensory bearable than pads (I would go so far as to say they are very comfy!) and you don’t have to remember to change them at school!

Self-regulation and managing emotions is made a lot harder. We can find it hard to recognise our emotions, to understand them and to manage them, and our periods exacerbate this, which can lead to meltdowns, self-harm and complete exhaustion.

Mood swings are a difficult one too. It can take us longer to self-regulate and return to our baseline, so when our emotions are all over the place and we are dealing with the normal stuff autistic people find hard to cope with, and our period too, this is an absolute nightmare.

Some evidence suggests that autistic women are more likely to experience very painful and heavy periods, issues with menstrual hygiene, severe PMS and worse mood/behavioural changes. We need more understanding of this because it can really affect our life.

Autistic people struggle with change and uncertainty. To suddenly come on your period, which may cause you to cancel plans or commitments due to being in pain and overwhelmed, can lead to meltdowns and high anxiety.

For an autistic child, starting their period can be very overwhelming. They may need extra support and patience in knowing and understanding what is happening. If they start their period without a clear understanding of what they should do and who they should turn to, this can be worse.

Clear communication and explanations without euphemisms and without brushing over the subject are needed. An autistic child needs to know exactly what to expect, what to do if they’re at school, what it will look like and what it may feel like.

“Autistic people only really work with the information they’re given. If up to that point, the only time they’ve seen blood is when they have fallen over or if they’ve been ill, they will associate blood with being broken or damaged in some way.” – Robyn Steward

There is some evidence and discussion that autistic girls start puberty earlier than non-autistic girls. If you are autistic or parenting an autistic child, the Autistic Girl’s Network Facebook page has some helpful discussions related to this, and you can seek advice.

The book, ‘The Autism Friendly Guide to Periods’ by Robyn Steward is amazing. I wish I had this book when I was younger. It’s for people aged 9+, with advice on sensory issues, managing hygiene and pain, and includes step by step photo guides on using different period products.