Understanding Communication Differences in Teenagers

Every young person communicates in their own way — but for some teenagers, differences in how they process information, understand social situations or respond to stress can make communication feel harder.

This workshop offers a clear, supportive introduction to how neurodevelopmental differences (such as autism, ADHD and developmental language differences) can affect the way teens communicate. We will also look at how stress, developmental trauma and difficult early experiences may influence communication.

The session is designed for parents and carers who want to understand their young person’s communication better and feel more confident supporting them at home.

This parent‑friendly workshop will explore:

• Processing differences
  How young people take in, organise and respond to information — and why some teens may need more time, repetition or support.
• Social communication differences
  What this can look like day‑to‑day (e.g., reading social situations, joining conversations, understanding tone or sarcasm, maintaining friendships).
• Communication and neurodevelopment
  How conditions such as autism, ADHD, developmental language disorder and other differences may shape communication styles and needs.
• The impact of stress and trauma
  How early stress or trauma can affect trust, emotional safety, body language, shutdowns and communication patterns.
• Practical strategies
  Ways you can support your young person at home — including reducing communication pressure, promoting understanding and building confidence.

This session is designed to be gentle, accessible and supportive. No previous knowledge is required.

Parents and carers who attend will gain:

• a clearer understanding of why some teens communicate differently
• insight into the link between communication, emotions and safety
• practical tools to support conversations and reduce misunderstandings
• ideas for helping your teen feel heard, understood and calmer
• reassurance that differences in communication are common — and support is available

This workshop is for all parents and carers of teenagers, whether your young person:

• has a diagnosed neurodevelopmental condition
• is on a waiting list
• has no diagnosis but finds communication challenging
• experiences shutdowns, overwhelm or anxiety in conversations
• struggles socially or finds friendships difficult

No diagnosis or specialist knowledge is needed.

This session is led by Helen Burgess, Speech and Language Therapist with the West Sussex Taskforce. Helen has extensive experience working with young people who communicate differently — including those with neurodevelopmental differences, communication anxiety, social communication needs and those who have experienced stress or trauma. She supports families, schools and professionals to understand communication through a compassionate, practical lens.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Speech and Language Therapist: APST