Content currently under review.
On our page ‘What is Autism?‘ we noted that people with autism may:
- Find it hard to communicate and interact with other people
- Find it hard to understand how other people think or feel
- Find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
- Get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events
- Take longer to understand information
- Do or think the same things over and over
With that in mind there are a number of things you could do to help support someone with autism, including:
- Understand how best to communicate with your friend or family member; ask them what they would prefer when communicating
- Be patient with your loved one and take your time explaining things
- Avoid situations, places or experiences that may cause stress and make your loved one feel anxious or uncomfortable
- Try not to always speak for your friend or family member, and allow them the space to convey what they want to say in their own time