What Dads need to know about "masking" and its impact on our autistic children

For children with autism, masking is a social survival strategy.   There is often pressure on autistic children to perform social behaviors that are considered "normal " or neurotypical. Some children hide their neurodiverse behaviors in order to fit in.   Regardless of its positive intentions, masking can lead to serious health consequences, such as depression, anxiety, autistic "burnout", and even suicidal ideation.   In this podcast, Paul is joined by Shane Sale, Neurodivergent Specialist and father of an autistic daughter.  They enter into an animated discussion on this critical topic.   Paul & Shane discuss the following: How our autistic children typically "mask" their behavior What the progressive stages of masking are The differences between girls and boys when it comes to masking (and why it is so pervasive amongst autistic girls) The long-term impacts of masking on our kids' health How Dads can support their kids in this area