How to Talk to an Autistic Child

As the number of children diagnosed with autism increases, so does the need to learn how to talk to these children. Such communication requires a great deal of patience as well as compassionate understanding. Learning a little bit about the syndrome will help one to appreciate the finer points of talking to children with autism.

Instructions

• 1

  Ask the parents. Most parents appreciate when people ask them first about their child. Find out from the parent what works best and what to avoid. Some autistic children fear eye contact with adults. Others hide under things when strangers are present. Asking about such behaviors ahead of time will make the conversation easier for both of you.

• 2

  Be sensitive. When attempting to talk with a child with autism, be sensitive to the fact that she may not want to talk to you at all. If this is the case, accept it, don't take it personally and move on.

• 3

  Listen carefully. If you can engage an autistic child in a conversation, listen to what he is saying. He'll tell you what he wants to talk about. Many children like to talk about one topic exclusively. If this is the case, be prepared to join in the conversation as well as just quietly listen.

• 4

  Pique her interest. Find out ahead of time what the child's favorite color is and wear that color of shirt. If you know what the child likes, find a way to talk about it with her in order to pique her interest and put her in a talking mood.

• 5

  Keep trying. If you're initially unsuccessful at conversation, try again some other time. Maybe the timing wasn't right for that particular child. When you get another chance to talk, give it another try.