Autism Soccer: Why Are ASD Kids More Susceptible to Bullying?

Autistic kids tend to be common victims of bullying.

Nowadays, bullying has become a very popular word. Like never before, we’re putting our efforts on trying to comprehend the true effects that harassment by peers in an academic environment has on our children’s psychological and emotional development. Scientific papers, movies, TV series and books have been produced on the issue and we’re still trying to find ways to increase tolerance and respect among students. In this regard, kids under the autism spectrum disorder are especially susceptible to bullying, but why so?

Autistic children are different from what society is used to. It’s just the way it is, at least for now. A study, conducted by Washington University in St. Louis, found that individuals with autism are 46% more likely to be bullied than normal children. According to another research, published by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, kids with high-functioning autism who speak well are even three times more susceptible to be victims of bullying.

Since they often don’t understand social cues or they have trouble communicating effectively, autistic kids are usually awkward during social interactions. Bullies exploit these types of weaknesses to gain control over their victims. If they’re on the high-functioning side of the spectrum, they’re probably hanging out with neurotypical kids that are not quite aware of their differences. To them, autistic children might pass as just “weird”. Their actual disability is a lot less visible and harder for their peers to understand.

If parents don’t teach their kids how to react properly to people who are different from them, they can easily respond with hostility and intolerance towards their peers. Children on the autism spectrum also have difficulties at defending themselves from situations that can cause them harm, so it’s our job as parents and educators to learn how to detect these issues and address them as soon as possible to make sure no one gets hurt.

About 15% of autistic children were reported to be bullies as well (but this could have to do with their lack of understanding of social interactions). Either way, although unlikely, bullying might not always go just one way. It’s extremely important that we tackle these issues in our homes and schools, since constant bullying can lead to depression, behavioral problems, mental health problems, poor grades and even physical illnesses.

Even if your kids are not telling you they’re being bullied, there are some signs you can look out for to find out by yourself. Some of the symptoms your child may show:

Have unexplained bruises, cuts and scratches.
Come home with missing or damaged belongings or clothes.
Come home hungry.
Doesn’t want to go to school.
Be frightened of walking or catching the bus to school.
Start doing poorly at school.
Have nightmares.
Cry a lot.
Get angrier and more aggressive than usual.
Doesn’t want to talk about what’s wrong.
Seems withdrawn.
Feels anxious
Starts bullying others.
Says he or she feels sick.

After you’ve recognized some of these signs, talk to your child about it, ask direct questions or use creative tactics to get them to open up. Stay calm and don’t show negative emotions, as they’ll be more likely to withdraw themselves. Work with their school and let them know what’s happening, also ask them to take practical actions against bullying and work on a clear anti-bullying policy, if they don’t already have one. Do it as subtle as you can, because you could make the bullying worse if your child’s peers find out their parents got involved.

Let your child know you support them, come up with a plan for the next time to prevent bullying. Help them build their confidence and self-esteem by providing spaces in which they can be themselves and not fear of being judged or intimidated. Seek professional help if you must, therapists will know how to help your child open up about what’s bothering them and help them create mechanisms so they’re not emotionally affected by their circumstances. Never be afraid to take action!

Sources: Time magazine, Meraki Lane, Autism Speaks.

Jessica A. Yuncoza B.

Blogger Autism Soccer