Do’s
- Accept: Accept and love the autistic individual as you would any other normal person.
- Encourage normality: Pay heed to the autistic person's needs, yet maintain an atmosphere of normality.
- Be Patient: Teach and speak with the autistic person patiently. Autistic people are usually intelligent and understand well, though their parameters of understanding may be different than what you consider normal.
- Be Usual: Never be embarrassed about being with an autistic person. They sense negativity and it affects their behavior and way of life.
DON’TS
- Leaving them alone: Don't leave autistic people alone. They may be intelligent but they are socially extremely awkward and cannot communicate well.
- Television: Allow for some "television time" but never in excess. Autistic people are more sensitive to impressions and can develop seizures or emotional outbursts because of the bright colors and light of the television.
- Negative behavior: Autistic children may throw tantrums, hit or bite persons. Never encourage such behavior, but never punish the child. Explain patiently why his behavior was wrong and cannot be carried out in future.
- Humiliation: Never humiliate or let others humiliate an autistic person. They may not be able to express their emotions, nonetheless, they are capable of feeling hurt, angry and dejected.
