Growing Up Is a Good Thing! Introducing Our FREE Menstrual Hygiene Resource Guide
A Guide to Good Hygiene During MPs
A Step-by-Step Guide for Girls with Autism
Growing up brings so many changes, questions, and new experiences. For girls with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), navigating menstruation and personal hygiene can come with additional challenges. Understanding what's happening to their bodies, learning new hygiene routines, and managing the physical and emotional changes of puberty may require extra guidance, patience, and support.
But growing up should never feel like something to fear. With the right resources, encouragement, and understanding, these important milestones can become opportunities to build confidence, independence, and self-awareness.
That's why Bella Smiles for Developmental Disabilities, with funding from the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), is excited to introduce our FREE illustrated resource:
Our goal is simple: to help make menstrual health education more accessible, approachable, and empowering for girls and the people who support them.
A Resource Inspired by Real Families and Real Experiences
This guide was created with something very important at its heart: listening to the individuals and families who need it most.
As part of developing this resource, Bella Smiles hosted two resource guide classes and group sessions, bringing together teens and their caregivers to discuss menstruation, personal hygiene, and the challenges that can come with growing up.
These sessions gave us the opportunity to hear directly from teens and parents about their experiences, questions, concerns, and the information they wanted to see included in a resource like this.
Their voices helped shape a guide that goes beyond explaining what a menstrual period is. We wanted to create something practical, understandable, and useful in everyday life.
The guide was also inspired by the personal experiences of Bella Smiles founder Teddy, who navigated the challenges of teaching menstrual hygiene and supporting her own two daughters with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Through her experiences as a mother, Teddy understands how important it is for families to have access to clear information, practical tools, and supportive guidance during this stage of development.
Combining these lived experiences with the feedback gathered during our group sessions helped us develop a resource centered on the needs of girls and their caregivers.
Because every girl deserves to understand her body, feel supported, and experience growing up with dignity.
What's Inside the Guide?
A Guide to Good Hygiene During MPs is a free, illustrated, 62-page educational resource designed to make learning about menstruation and personal hygiene easier to understand.
Using simple language, colorful illustrations, visual supports, and step-by-step instructions, the guide introduces important topics in a way that encourages learning at each girl's individual pace.
Inside, families will find information and tools covering:
Understanding menstruation: What a period is, recognizing signs of an approaching period, and understanding physical and emotional changes.
Menstrual hygiene routines: Step-by-step guidance for using and changing pads or pull-ups, proper disposal, and maintaining personal hygiene.
Visual learning tools: Checklists, visual schedules, social stories, and printable reminder cards to help reinforce daily routines.
Preparing for periods at school: Creating a period preparation kit, developing school-day routines, and planning for additional support.
Personal care and body awareness: Everyday hygiene, privacy, body safety, recognizing emotions, and knowing when to ask a trusted adult for help.
Comfort and additional considerations: Managing menstrual discomfort, addressing sensory sensitivities, and educational information about menstrual suppression options.
The guide also includes a dedicated section for parents, caregivers, educators, and support staff, offering practical strategies for teaching personal hygiene skills, supporting girls who need assistance, and helping establish consistent routines at home and school.
Every Girl Learns Differently, and That's Okay!
One of the most important messages we want families to take away from this guide is that there is no single way to approach learning about menstruation.
Some girls may develop the skills to manage their menstrual hygiene independently, while others may need visual reminders, repeated instruction, hands-on assistance, or ongoing caregiver support.
And that's okay!
The goal isn't to expect every girl to follow the same path. It's to provide the tools, information, and encouragement that help each girl understand her body and participate in her personal care to the best of her abilities.
By making these conversations more approachable and providing practical learning tools, we hope to reduce uncertainty and help families feel more prepared for this important stage of development.
Supporting Parents, Caregivers, and Educators
We also recognize that menstrual health education isn't just about teaching girls new routines. It's about making sure the adults supporting them have the information and resources they need, too.
For parents and caregivers, conversations about puberty and menstruation can bring questions about how to introduce new concepts, address sensory challenges, teach hygiene skills, and prepare for unexpected situations.
Educators and support staff may also play an important role in helping girls manage their menstrual routines during the school day.
Our guide was developed to help bridge these conversations, offering tools that can be used across home, school, and other supportive environments.
When families and support teams work together, they can help create a more comfortable, consistent, and positive experience for the girls in their care.
Do You Need a Copy? Get Your FREE Guide!
Whether your daughter is preparing for her first period, learning new personal hygiene routines, or needs additional support managing menstruation, we hope this guide becomes a helpful resource for your family.
A Guide to Good Hygiene During MPs is available FREE through the Bella Smiles for Developmental Disabilities website.
🌸 Find your free copy on our Resources page:
We also encourage parents, caregivers, educators, community organizations, and professionals supporting girls with autism and other developmental disabilities to explore and share this resource.
The more families we can reach, the more opportunities we have to make menstrual health education accessible and empowering.
Thank You to the Organization for Autism Research
Bella Smiles for Developmental Disabilities is grateful for the support of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) in helping make this resource possible.
Funding for this guide was provided through OAR's Community Grant Competition.
We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the teens, parents, and caregivers who participated in our resource guide sessions and shared their experiences and perspectives.
Your voices helped shape a resource we hope will support many families for years to come.
“You are growing up. That is a good thing!” 💜
At Bella Smiles, we believe every girl deserves to feel informed, supported, respected, and confident as she grows. Together, we can help make these important conversations easier and ensure that no family feels alone in navigating them.
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