# Medical Lit on PDD (Autism) and masturbation **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089 "2011-10-19T01:10:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/1 "2011-10-19T01:10:00Z")
We had a most uncomfortable visit from CPS today, they have a report that my non verbal autistic daughter is being sexually abused. Jaelyn masturbates on a consistent basis since the age of two, all her therapists have tried the redirect approach to no avail. She is now in school (autism class most of the day, mainstream for an hour) and her TSS is not able to stop her behavior which led to a staff decision to call. While I am not worried about the actual case, I am fuming because it is fairly known behavior in autistic children what I am looking for is medical literature based around PDD and masturbation, not other parents. (which is all my Googlefu is finding!) Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/2 "2011-10-19T01:15:15Z")
Are you saying her behavior is the only evidence of abuse? ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/3 "2011-10-19T01:22:29Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Are you saying her behavior is the only evidence of abuse? Yes increased masturbatory behavior led them to “child sexual abuse is suspected and/or circumstances suggest abuse is likely to occur”\* I learned from her TSS who I spoke with after this, apparently a school staff member unnamed observed it and they started an investigation today which led to the visit. The children are still in the home with another visit scheduled tomorrow. \*verbatim off the paperwork. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/4 "2011-10-19T01:36:52Z")
Crap. I hope her therapists help you out with documentation. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/5 "2011-10-19T02:17:26Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/6 "2011-10-19T02:27:19Z")
**Opinions and attitudes of parents and students for sexual development, sexual behavior and gender identity of persons with autism in the Republic of Macedonia** - _(Journal of Special Education & Rehabilitation; 2010, Issue 1/2)_ **Sexuality and adolescents with autism** - _(Koller R; Sexuality & Disability, 2000 Summer; 18 (2): 125-35 (journal article) ISSN: 0146-1044)_ **Sexual behavior in autism: Problems of definition and management** - _Realmuto GM; Ruble LA; Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 1999 Apr; 29 (2): 121-7 (journal article - case study) ISSN: 0162-3257 PMID: 10382132_ **Compulsive masturbation in infantile autism treated by Mirtazapine** - _Albertini, G.; Polito, E.; Sara, M.; Di Gennaro, G.; Onorati, P. Pediatric Neurology May 2006 34 (5): 417-418; DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2005.10.023_ ---
**Author:** ![code\_grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@code\_grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/code_grey)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/7 "2011-10-19T02:33:38Z")
this website [http://fightcps.com/](http://fightcps.com/) might be of interest for tackling the root cause of the problem at hand. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/8 "2011-10-19T02:37:39Z")
For stuff like this [scholar.google.com](http://scholar.google.com) is better than regular google. I can find [this much](http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0887899405006934) anyway - use of a medication to treat compulsive masturbation in a child with severe autism. And [this](http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/etc/summary/v031/31.3.sullivan.html): > [@](#): > > The existing research suggests that there is a high frequency of sexual behaviors among individuals with these disorders. A number of these behaviors may become problematic for caregivers and service providers because they violate societal norms regarding appropriate interpersonal behavior and may jeopardize the inclusion of this group in educational and community settings … I’d suspect one of them may have citations that meet your specific needs. On preview MMM has gotten some of that for you as well! Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/9 "2011-10-19T02:40:17Z")
I’m taking courses in child development at the local community college. My class meets tomorrow. I’ll see if the instructor knows anything about this. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/10 "2011-10-19T04:02:32Z")
I would appreciate it Washoe, and yes her TSS said it was documented to the school authorities who proceeded to contact CPS anyway. I admit I _understand_ why they must be protective of a child, I do not understand why they just now did it. This has been a behavior issue for years, one documented in IEP etc. :smack: I am so sick to my stomach I cannot sleep! Those links look promising if they are available online behind a med wall I can get my brother to access them and print out relevant information before the visit tomorrow. I cannot fathom how this happened, I tried to insist on a medical exam like NOW but they said it is done 45m away so they have to set an appointment, and an interview (where she informed me we may have an attorney present?) this is icky, and soul shattering on all fronts. DSeid thanks for the helpful scholar search link, that will come in handy, and thanks again MMM for those links. code\_grey I am not out to stop them, I mean I understand the philosophy behind it, I am not scared as there has and never will be abuse, I am angry that someone we know (small town, small school) could even think that. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/11 "2011-10-19T04:12:39Z")
And now, after quickly browsing your link code\_grey, I am scared, I so hope those are isolated incidents. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@The\_Lovely\_Margo\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lovely_Margo_Lane)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/12 "2011-10-19T05:26:48Z")
> [@RyJae](#): > > I am not scared as there has and never will be abuse, I am angry that someone we know (small town, small school) could even think that. I know the feeling, small town, looking over your shoulder. But given the history here I’d imagine the reporting party may have been a sub from out of town or something like that - a mandated reporter who didn’t have the context your daughter’s normal teachers have. Once that ball’s rolling it has to keep going through all the steps I guess. So sorry you have to deal with this, and I really hope the cites you find will help ease the process. As for the scary CPS stories, remember the stats on satisfied vs dissatisfied customers and who tells more friends about their experiences. Parents who feel that CPS dealt with them fairly have no real incentive to post their stories online, so all you see are those who ended up in bad situations. Not to say the horror stories are false but they are most certainly not the majority. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/13 "2011-10-19T12:36:44Z")
Is there really even a link between child masturbation and sexual abuse? I was under the impression that children often wound up doing this, and that all you had to do was teach them to do it in private. (Obviously something that would be very hard to teach an autistic child.) ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/14 "2011-10-19T12:59:45Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Is there really even a link between child masturbation and sexual abuse? I was under the impression that children often wound up doing this, and that all you had to do was teach them to do it in private. (Obviously something that would be very hard to teach an autistic child.) From my reading not so much. I mean a link exists apparently but not one that says masturbation=abuse it is much more likely to be exploration. Apparently the information I received from the TSS overseer (BSA?) was that she was observed stimulating herself on an object that is why the alarm was raised, which in itself is disheartening when it has been reported numerous times that she will stimulate herself on corners, vacuum cleaners, shoes on the floor, toys etc multiple times by her therapists. And her therapists where right in the recommendation of redirecting to a private place as that is what I read on some of the links. Though now I question the wisdom in that, and if it shouldn’t have been full stop. That would have saved all this. As it stands now, I am under the impression because the kids are in the home it is a standard report and after interviews and exams should clear up and go away. I am more interested in the medical paperwork now so I can pass it out at the next PTA meeting, so other parents of autistic children do not have this occur to them. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/15 "2011-10-19T13:41:44Z")
This is a terrible situation and I hope it works out for you! I just want to let you know that I think the fact that you not only want to resolve this for yourself, but also want to develop information to help other parents who might face a similar situation is a really cool thing to do. You are clearly a good person 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/16 "2011-10-19T16:24:24Z")
Since the OP is seeking advice, this is better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Snowcarpet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowcarpet/32/257_2.png) [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/17 "2011-10-19T16:53:01Z")
This is as much as I could find: [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/collections/public/16m1m53am\_bHp09lu-73RMXkk/](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/collections/public/16m1m53am_bHp09lu-73RMXkk/) I can pull 9 of 10 of these if you need, pm me if so. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/18 "2011-10-19T17:16:06Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Since the OP is seeking advice, this is better suited to IMHO than GQ. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Not to Jr Mod but … huh? The op is looking for specific information, with cites, not advice, and not humble opinions. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/19 "2011-10-19T17:19:58Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Since the OP is seeking advice, this is better suited to IMHO than GQ. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator Well I got the paperwork I needed for the GQ now I want advice, thank you for the move, you move quick! 🙂 Snowcarpet it goes to an error page for me ☹ If you can give me the item number or however one gets items off pubmed my brother can pull it for me, and it would be appreciated. Okay they called (they being protective services the normal not emergency caseworker) and without mincing words said they believe this was handled badly from start to finish. She already had the paperwork from Jaelyns medical/therapy/IEP and noticed the same thing I said, she has been doing this for FIVE years. She is comfortable allowing everyone in the home to stay in the home but due to rules Jaelyn will need an exam next Tuesday, and a police interview on Weds. She believed it was handled wrong and “she took steps to correct the errors” she didn’t elaborate what the errors where when I asked though. This is the second year of a “autism classroom” in this school district and it is small but I am saddened and hurt that they are professionals and yet couldn’t spend a few minutes researching this issue before calling in the hotline. We need to correct this issue, because believe me this is the worst thing one wants to be accused of either doing or participating in. SDMB members I request each of you, read some of the links in this thread, and be ready to fight myths with truths. We must protect our children, but not on the pain of the parents who do nothing but love there kids. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089/20 "2011-10-19T18:32:28Z")
Ridiculous, and I’m sorry they’re making you jump through this :(. Every kid plays with herself / himself. Most kids can be redirected, learn that “touching yourself there is OK but only in private”… kids with social issues such as severe autism can’t always be gotten through to, all they know is it feels GOOD and that’s a good enough reason to them to keep doing it. Why should they care whether others think it’s appropriate, those stupid other people who try to make them do stuff they don’t want to. Whomever reported this clearly has NO sense, and couldn’t be bothered to do any research into your daughter’s history. Others have provided cites, but I’d also suggest you provide copies of the most recent few IEPs that address this. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-lit-on-pdd-autism-and-masturbation/600089.md?page=2)