In this episode of Autism for Badass Moms, Rashidahsits down with Betsy Matthews — proud autism mum, university careers consultant, advocate, marathon runner, and host of The Diary of an Autism Mum podcast — to have an honest conversation about navigating puberty witha neurodivergent daughter. Betsy shares how watching her daughter Sienna move through monthly hormonal patterns was eye-opening — and how her own fears sometimes spoke louder than reality. From considering medical intervention todiscovering practical solutions like period underwear, this conversation highlights the power of observation, flexibility, and trust.

In this episode, we talk about:

00:00 Badass Moms Welcome

01:23 Puberty Fears and Questions

02:20 Meet Betsy Matthews

04:30 Sienna Puberty Started Early

05:20 Diagnosis Journey Begins

09:44 Hearing Autism and Grief

11:55 Communication Tools and ABA

13:58 School Placement Turning Point

15:31 Obsessions Books and Regulation

19:57 Periods Arrive and Solutions

24:45 Hormones Mood and Patterns

27:45 Managing Meltdowns and Pain

30:21 Reading Pain Signals

32:32 Behavior vs Real Distress

33:23 Support Network and Respite

36:28 Trusting Your Childs Instincts

38:06 Marathon and Self Care

41:08 Balancing Work and Parenting

42:40 Launching the Podcast

49:02 Puberty Advice and Mindset

54:42 Closing Thoughts and Callouts

Connect with Betsy:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/betsyrmatthews

Instagram: www.instagram.com/diaryofanautismmumpodcast

Check out Betsy’s Podcast – The Diary of an Autism Mumavailable on Apple Podcast and Spotify

If this episode resonated with you:

www.instagram.com/theabmpodcast

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theabmpodcast

YouTube: autismforbadassmoms