Tips for Dealing with Autistic Children

Eight Tips to Increase Your Autism Awareness

He came up to me as I sat in the gymnasium. "Hi, I’m Eddie. What’s your name?" He’s asked me that a thousand times. "Where’s your hair?" he asked, pointing to my headscarf (another familiar question). But this time the questions took a different turn. He tried to tug my scarf off, he hit me on the arm. By that time his mom came and took charge of the situation. I calmly said, “Bye, Eddie!”

Eddie--like my son--has autism, a complex neurological and developmental disorder affecting 1 in 150 children. Chances are you know an autistic child or have encountered one somewhere. It’s not easy knowing what to do or how to respond to the quirks (or outbursts) of an autistic child. Want to learn some real autism awareness? These tips will help you navigate a world with an increasing number of special-needs kids. It’s tried-and-true advice from parents on the front line of autism.

By Dilshad D. Ali, Beliefnet editor