Autism and bullying

[mightyducks]

Hi all, hoping for some advise, my teenage son , on the spectrum, seems to be the subject of some mild bullying at high school , mainly at lunchtime, with ‘cool’ kids who seem to think it’s fine to make fun of him, and because he doesn’t really understand, are going up to him at lunch and asking can they be his friend, taking the mickey, and he thinks they’re being serious, so readily accepts,then they all laugh hysterically and walk off. It’s horrible to explain to him they don’t really want to be his friend, and are being mean to him, he has no idea what’s going on.
Anyone been through similar ?

My Ds was bullied, it started in year 6 when his peers realised he was slightly different. Unfortunately it continued all the way through years 7-11. Sometimes staff also laughed at him too. He is now at a different school but they describe him as hypervigilent. He is always all the look out for threats and is terrified of looking different. It's horrible and has had a lasting impact on Ds.

Have you contacted school about your concerns? Is there a quieter place he could go at lunchtime?

Thanks, I haven’t contacted school as yet, it seems to have really ramped up recently since he went back to school after Easter, he’s in Year 8 now and I think much more testosterone is flying around now! I know my friends son had a similar issue and used to go in the library at lunchtime but it’s still closed due to covid,. It seems sad he needs to go somewhere else to avoid this behaviour though, when it’s the bullying behaviour that should be stopped- not that I have high hopes for that though, it seems to be rife in the school