29/05/2026
She smiled at school all day.
Then she fell apart at home.
This is called masking.
Many autistic children work incredibly hard to fit in. They copy, adjust, hold it together and push through discomfort so they do not stand out.
By the time they get home, the effort of pretending becomes too much. The nervous system finally releases what it has been holding in all day.
What looks like a sudden meltdown is often the result of hours of quiet effort.
Masking can hide children who need support, especially girls.
If this is your evening, you are not alone.
At C.A.R.E, we see beyond the surface and support the child beneath the mask.
π The C.A.R.E Centre
Junior Campus 30 Raglan Street cnr 9th Avenue Orange Grove
Senior Campus 31 Raglan Street Orange Grove
π Junior School +27 11 485 0335
π Senior School +27 66 208 1113
π± +27 82 614 3080
π§ info@thecarecentre.co.za
π§ seniors@thecarecentre.co.za
π www.thecarecentre.co.za
Rozanna Riback Hofmann