Parenting Pointers: Preventing Bullying

Did you know almost half of kids with autism will be bullied, compared to just over one-tenth of the general teen population? That's what a study conducted by the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, found. Some of the signs of autism spectrum disorder, such as issues with communication and social skills, often make those on the spectrum "easy targets" for other kids.

There are things educators and parents can do to help prevent bullying, particularly of students with autism.

Education professionals can help by:

• Conducting school-wide autism awareness training, including peers, teachers, bus drivers, athletic coaches and lunch and recess monitors.
• Creating peer support networks for youth with autism, and implement reporting systems that kids with autism can use.
• Ensuring IEP (individualized education program) team leaders are aware of the risks associated with autism and bullying, and that plans include ways to prevent bullying.
• Promoting ongoing parent, teacher and specialist communication.

Parents can employ some of these strategies:

• Getting educated and learn from the resources available to you, such as pediatricians or early intervention specialists.
• Reaching out to the school and ask how you can partner with the educators.
• Developing tools to communicate with your child about bullying.
• Practicing confidence-building, reading social cues and responding to bullying with your kids.
• Partnering with your child’s educators to develop an IEP that includes an anti-bullying strategy.
• Finding resources to be prepared, such as the National Center for Learning Disabilities’ special needs anti-bullying toolkit.

Even kids can help prevent bullying:

• Developing friendships with kids with autism, celebrating their capacity for imaginative thinking.
• Considering ways you can educate your peers to understand and celebrate those with autism.
• Creating activities that promote inclusion within your school community.
• Standing up for peers in a safe way. For example, inviting a child to sit with them at lunch, telling an aggressive child to stop behaving badly, not joining in bullying but help the victim walk away or tell an adult.

The book The Essential Guide to Bullying: Prevention And Intervention expands on these strategies and shares more, not just for kids with autism, but for all bullying. Written by Cynthia Lowen (who is also co-filmmaker of the movie Bully) and Cindy Miller, the guide includes questions parents can ask children, signs of bullying that may not be readily apparent, and discussion guides for parents to help draw out a kid who may be unwilling to share that they are being bullied. If a child is being bullied, it also details ways to help reduce its effect on self-esteem.

The book is well-written and comprehensive, yet concise and easy to read. I would recommend this book to anyone who might be impacted by bullying, whether its parents of kids who are being bullied, or parents of kids who witness bullying or are bullies, or education and community professionals who want to help reduce the amount of bullying taking place.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this post.