6 simple tips for talking to an autistic child.
Talking to autistic children is essential for their social and emotional development. However, some people aren’t sure how to communicate with autistic children and may shy away from it, but even non verbal children need people to talk to them. If you are unsure of what to do then have a read of my six simple tips for talking to an autistic child.
1. Get down to their level.
Either crouch down or sit beside them. They are more likely to make eye contact with you when they are at the same level as you. If you tower over them then this will make them feel uncomfortable and they may become anxious.
2. Show an interest in what they are talking about.
Some autistic children have obsessions with things such as trains, dinosaurs, astronauts etc and love to talk about the topic. Some will have spent a lot of time researching their favourite topic and just love to share their knowledge with you.
If you show an interest in them and with what they are talking about then you will build up a strong positive relationship with them.
3. Allow them to finish what they are trying to say.
Edward finds it difficult to keep his thoughts on track and so his speech gets stuck. I know what he is trying to say and it is tempting to finish the sentence off for him. However, it is important that you wait for them to finish.
4. Say exactly what you mean.
A lot of autistic children are very literal, so you have to think carefully about what you are going to say.
For example if you say ‘Chuck me the salt’ they will literally throw it at you.
5. Allow them processing time to respond.
When you ask autistic children a question, they may not respond straight away. This doesn’t mean they haven’t heard you, it means that they are processing what you have said. So just wait, don’t keep repeating the question.
6. Don’t overload them with lots of different information.
As processing can be a challenge, it’s best to tell them small chunks of information at a time. For example, if you verbally tell them to boil the kettle, add the teabag, milk and sugar to the cup, then pour in the boiling water and stir they may struggle to take all of that information in at once. So I suggest one or two steps at a time.
As with every autistic child/adult, it is important to always remember that they are all different. So what works with one person may not work with another.
