The Autism Little Learners Podcast

Episode 152: How to Explain Autism to Children: Neuro-Affirming Tips from an Autistic SLP
Host: Tara Phillips
Guest: Andy Putt ("Mrs. Speechy P"), autistic SLP
Date: December 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the importance of early, open, and neuro-affirming conversations about autism with children—whether they are autistic themselves, peers, or siblings. Host Tara Phillips welcomes Andy Putt, an autistic speech-language pathologist (SLP) and educational advocate, to share her practical tips and personal insights. Together, they explore how explaining autism can empower autistic children, support classmates in understanding, and help everyone in the school community embrace neurodiversity.

Guest Introduction

[01:20–02:26]

• Andy Putt (aka Mrs. Speechy P) specializes in team-based autism evaluations and neuroaffirming supports. She’s passionate about making information accessible and empowering families and children to embrace their authentic selves.
• Andy transitioned from working in schools to private evaluation and educational advocacy.
• Andy creates infographics and shares neurodiversity-affirming content on social media.

Notable Quote:
"When the information's given, it's in this research-based language that I don't even understand, and this is my area of specialty… So I want it to be in words that I understand."
— Andy Putt ([03:55])

The Importance of Early and Ongoing Conversations

[06:30–09:55]

• Timing: The ideal time to introduce the topic of autism is early and naturally, much like adoption—making it an ongoing conversation starting in early childhood.
  • Hiding the diagnosis can unintentionally suggest something is wrong.
  • Knowledge boosts mental health and helps children understand themselves.

Notable Quote:
"Knowing you're autistic and knowing why you're different can make huge differences for a child's mental health and set them up for better success."
— Andy Putt ([07:17])

• Include autism as a normal word in everyday life to reduce stigma.
• Use family examples to normalize behavior traits and responses (fight or flight, sensory needs).

Empowerment Through Positive Framing

[09:38–10:33]

• Explain autism by highlighting differences without negative connotations.
• Positive self-understanding gives kids agency and reduces self-blame.

Notable Quote:
"Just having that information gives kids so much power over their identity, but also their actions and why they do things that they do."
— Andy Putt ([08:42])

How to Explain Autism in Child-Friendly Ways

[17:24–19:16]

• Tailor the explanation to the child’s age and experiences.
• Compare differences (visible and invisible—like hair color vs. brain differences).
• Give specific, relatable examples for the individual child (sensory sensitivities, preferences for alone time, routines).
• Focus on needs and supports, not deficits.

Sample Script:
"Sometimes when there's really loud sounds and you cover your ears and it's really overwhelming to you, but other people don't really seem to be bothered... That's because you're autistic and you have different needs."
— Andy Putt ([17:56])

The Value of Asking and Listening to Children

[20:17–21:32]

• Invite children to express what they need (e.g., alone time vs. group play).
• Don't pathologize self-care or recovery time.
• Use the child’s own preferences to guide support during school activities.

Notable Quote:
"You don't want to make kids feel like their recovery time and taking care of themselves is wrong or bad."
— Andy Putt ([20:17])

Supporting Peer Understanding & Inclusion

[10:33–12:45], [34:03–38:15]

• Open, general discussions about autism among classmates normalize differences and foster empathy.
  • Early conversations create lifelong advocates.
  • Both siblings and peers benefit from early, inclusive dialogue.
• Share autism information with peer groups using general terms unless there is consent from the family and child.

Notable Peer Impact Story:
Tara described how, in her daughter’s school, early conversations created student advocates who intervened when others made negative comments, saying things like, "Hey, no–that’s so-and-so. He’s autistic, end of story" ([10:33]).

Avoiding Mistakes: Language and Bias

[28:57–32:06]

• Avoid language that frames autism as bad, wrong, or less-than.
  • Example mistakes: negative bias, internalized ableism, or suggesting autism is something to be "fixed."
• Practice using affirming language: autism is different, not bad; needing support is okay.
• If mistakes happen, model repair by acknowledging them and clarifying.

Notable Quotes:
"It's not bad. I wouldn't take this away. I wouldn't change you. You're perfect. I wouldn’t change anything about you."
— Andy Putt ([30:01])

"Most parents fret over how it's going to go and the kid's going to be like, 'Okay. Can we go play Minecraft now?'"
— Andy Putt ([31:41])

The “Bear” Analogy for Emotional Regulation

[38:58–44:19]

• Use analogies to help students understand dysregulation:
  • Fight-or-flight response is like a "bear in the room"—the body is trying to protect itself, not acting out.
  • Relate outbursts to understandable fear, building student empathy rather than labeling as “bad.”
• Validate all students’ feelings: disrupting behaviors can be scary, but everyone can have coping strategies.

Notable Quote:
"If there was a bear in this classroom and you were really worried about getting out, and the teacher is saying, 'What color is this? What's two plus two?'—are you going to care about that, or are you trying to get away from the bear?"
— Andy Putt ([42:57])

Individualizing Behavioral Support

[23:55–28:39]

• Not all children benefit from the same behavior supports (charts, rewards, etc.).
• Some children find motivation or comfort in structured charts; it should be by their choice.
• Focus on avoiding punitive approaches and instead support autonomy and self-regulation.

Notable Reflections:
"If something feels yucky or it's going down this bad road or turning really punitive, negative, you know, that's kind of what you want to avoid."
— Tara Phillips ([26:46])

"If you ask the kids who would get negative marks on their behavior charts if they want one—no, they are not going to want one. But the kids get the positive remarks, because it's easy for them, that's natural for them, they're going to do it anyway."
— Andy Putt ([27:51])

The Benefits of Openness About Autism

[34:03–38:15]

• Open classroom conversations about autism encourage inclusion and empathy, prevent bullying, and celebrate differences.
• Always seek parent and child permission before discussing a specific child’s autism in a group.
• When talking generally, more students self-identify and feel seen.

Notable Quote:
"There’s probably like five kids in this classroom that are autistic and you don’t know who they are... differences are okay, we should all celebrate differences."
— Andy Putt ([37:42])

Andy’s Resources for Families and Educators

[45:32–48:08]

• “Understanding Autism Together”: For parents and therapists, stories for different ages, comics, diverse characters, to help introduce autism to children.
• “The Autism Handbook for Kids”: Suitable for ages 7–8+, covering autism characteristics, ableism, critical thinking, empathy—a favorite of Andy’s.
• Classroom resources: Worksheets and discussion tools for older children; plans for younger child versions.
• Find resources:
  • Website: www.mrsspeechyp.com
  • Instagram/Facebook: @mrsspeechyp

Notable Quote:
"I don’t gatekeep any information to products, but if you want them, like, really wrapped up in a bow and pretty and easy to find, that’s where those are..."
— Andy Putt ([48:41])

Key Takeaways

• Start early, be open, and make autism a normalized part of everyday conversation.
• Explain autism in affirming, child-friendly language that emphasizes difference, not deficit.
• Use analogies, concrete examples, and stories tailored to the child’s experience.
• Empower kids by involving them in decisions about their supports.
• Maintain an evolving, reflective practice—mistakes are opportunities for growth and repair.

Memorable Moment

Dog Cameo:
Maui, Andy’s dog, briefly joins the conversation, providing a lighthearted pause.
"She feels like she needs to be sitting on me or touching me at all times."
— Andy Putt ([17:19])

How to Connect and Learn More

• Andy Putt (Mrs. Speechy P):
  • Website: mrsspeechyp.com
  • Instagram: @mrspeechyp
  • Facebook: Mrs. Speechy P