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autism

The term “autism” refers to a broad spectrum of disorders that affect social relationships and sensory processing. It is sometimes referred to as “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” or ASD. People on the severe end of the autism spectrum can’t speak or take care of themselves. People on the less severe end blend right in with the general population, only exhibiting a few quirks that set them apart.

People with autism usually have trouble understanding emotions. This includes their own emotions and the emotions of others. This doesn’t mean that they don’t have feelings, or that they can’t feel empathy. They just may not be able to understand why someone feels a certain way, or figure out an appropriate way to express how they feel. Since autism affects one’s ability to read social cues such as facial expressions and body language, a person with autism may not realize how somebody is feeling unless they are explicitly told.

Autism also tends to affect one’s ability to process sensory information (“sensory information” being sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes). People with autism may notice sensations that other people don’t notice, such as the subtle flickering of a light or the ticking of a clock. They have trouble ignoring these distractions, and may become upset when they are faced with too many sensations at once.
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People with autism usually feel most comfortable when sticking to a specific schedule or routine. Even a small change in routine can be unsettling. Oftentimes, people with autism engage in repetitive behaviors in an attempt to calm themselves down. These behaviors may include flapping their hands, repeating words or phrases over and over, or pacing back and forth. 

Just like non-autistic people, autistic people want to be accepted and have friends. Below are some tips for how to help friends, classmates, and community members with autism.

how to help a friend or community member with autism

• Speak clearly and literally. People with autism often have trouble understanding jokes, sarcasm, and figurative language. If you do use figurative language, be prepared to explain what it means
• Be aware of the person’s sensitivities. Avoid situations in which he or she will get overstimulated.
• If the person does start getting overstimulated, try to remove the cause of the overstimulation (i.e. turn music off or down, prevent people from crowding around). Don’t add to it (for instance, by repeatedly tapping the person’s shoulder and asking, “Are you okay?”)
• Remember that repetitive behaviors such as flapping and rocking are often a sign of the person being stressed or nervous
• Understand that this person’s perception of the world may be different from yours, and that that’s okay. You can learn from them just as much as they can learn from you.
• Even if a person with autism doesn’t seem interested in joining a conversation or activity, invite them anyway. It might be that they want to join but haven’t figured out how to ask. 

Information taken from TeensHealth. Click on the link to learn more

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tips for people with autism on making friends and interacting socially

• Say hi to people
• Invite people to join you, or ask if you can join them
• Stand a couple feet away from the person you’re talking to, so they don’t feel crowded.
• In choosing someone to become friends with, look for someone who is kind to you and others, makes you feel good, and listens to what you have to say.
• Ask people questions about themselves, such as “What do you like to do?” “What kind of music do you listen to?” and “Do you have any pets?”
• You might have one special thing that you love to think, learn, and talk about. It’s okay to talk about that a little bit with other people, but remember that they are probably not as interested in it as you are. Find something you’re both interested in and talk about that.
• If someone you’ve been talking to starts looking around the room, checking their phone, or changing the subject, it probably means they’re no longer interested in the conversation. It might be time to change the subject or say, “Nice talking to you, bye!”
• Unfortunately, not everyone is nice. If you come across someone who is mean or makes you feel uncomfortable, leave them and go talk to someone else.
• Talk to a parent, teacher, counselor, or other trusted adult for more advice on how to talk to people and make friends.

(Most of this advice came from the TeensHealth website sections about making friends and what to say. Check it out if you want more details!)
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"What sets you apart can sometimes feel like a burden and it's not. And a lot of the time, it's what makes you great."
​-Emma Stone