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Being a teenager is tough. But autism makes those awkward years even tougher.
For middle school and high school students with the social disorder, navigating packed schedules, crushes and new friendships can seem impossible. In many cases, it leaves autistic teens feeling more isolated and depressed.
The pattern "becomes very hurtful," said Brigham Young University autism researcher Terisa Gabrielsen.
Advocates say more resources for autistic teens are needed, and a Friday workshop at Brigham Young University aims to answer the call from parents and others.
Researchers believe autism amplifies the normal teenage ups and downs.
"What's difficult for a typically developing 17-year-old boy" — managing homework and track practice and talking to girls — "is horrendously difficult for a 17-year-old boy with autism," Gabrielsen said.
The workshop includes sessions on how to help teens with social skills and plan for guardianship in advance of a teen's 18th birthday. Families attending the conference will hear from researchers, pediatricians and others from BYU, Utah State University, the University of Utah and Utah Valley University.
Gabrielsen hopes such training will give autistic teens more social tools, which she says could help prevent depression and suicidal thoughts.
It's the second year BYU has hosted the autism workshop. New elements include one-on-one sessions with social skills experts and a panel discussion by people with autism and their family members.
Nationally, one in 68 children has autism, for which there is no known cause. In Utah, the rate is slightly higher: One in 54 Utah children have been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder, according to an analysis of 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Genetics are thought to play a part. Siblings of children with autism are at higher risk. But there are likely environmental factors that heighten or mitigate that risk, researchers say.
Chris Williams, a mother of two autistic sons, said Thursday she plans to attend the event. Williams said she struggles to find programs geared toward teens or their families.
Her sons, 13-year-old Thomas and 12-year-old Matthew, attend Freedom Preparatory Academy, a charter school in Provo. Both Boy Scouts, they have waltzed with BYU students as part of a six-week ballroom dance class for autistic teens.
Williams says her boys are making progress in such programs and with coaching at home, but she worries how they'll fare now that they're in middle school, with more freedom and no specialist catering to their disabilities.
Matthew is prone to dominating conversations, she said, while Thomas, who is passionate about space and planets, sometimes scoffs when people greet him.
"It's terrifying," Williams said Thursday. "It's really hard to send your kids out there when you know they have unusual reactions to normal situations."
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Autism in Adolescence
When • Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where • BYU Conference Center
Sessions emphasize ways to cope with autism during adolescence.