Here are some tips for speaking to children with Autism

-Be clear and try not to use irony, sarcasm, exaggeration and idioms (these can be taken literally – but as long as you explain what you meant by it, what you mean to say and what you just said, this is okay)

-If you have to refuse a request, explain why appropriately (sometimes no can mean only for right now – it can happen later or another day) This is where a schedule can be very helpful to explain things, If you said no because of safety, make sure to explain this too.

-Using a person’s name before you speak makes sure that they know you’re speaking to them, not someone else.

-Make sure that you have their attention – this will be topographically different from person to person, but this is needed before asking a question or giving an instruction.

-Use hobbies and interests to include and involve everyone in the conversation. This can also include whatever activity is currently happening.

For more tips, be sure to head over to our instagram @headstart_sbt

Tips by Alex Pickett

At HeadStart we understand the importance of providing information in accessible formats to meet the diverse needs of our service users. We can provide information in different forms for example in another language, large print, easy-read materials, and technologies such as text-to-speech or audio. To request information in another format, contact us by phone on 07946498499.