Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew

I received this summary at the ABA conference I recently attended (see Nov. 16th post). Ellen Notbohm is the award-winning author of the book. Here are the 10 things to remember:

1. I am first and foremost a child. I have autism. I am not primarily "autistic".


2. My sensory perceptions are disordered.


3. Please remember to distinguish between won't (I choose not to) and can't (I am not able to).


4. I am a concrete thinker. This means I interpret language very literally.


5. Please be patient with my limited vocabulary.


6. Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented.


7. Please focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can't do.


8. Please help me with social interactions.


9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns.


10. If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally.