How To Explain Autism To A Child
Autism awareness has thankfully been on the rise for the past 5 to 10 years. With the subject becoming more approachable by various groups, be they segmented by age, culture, or social norms, our children are gradually receiving more of the acceptance that they deserve. As far as I’m concerned when it comes to speaking about autism, the most important part to remember is that autistic individuals are simply different, not less! However, there’s still a trickier problem on how to explain autism to a child.
Whether at the playground, at school, or just randomly meeting each other in town, neurotypical children may observe that autistic children sometimes behave a bit differently. They may have sound or light sensitivities, they might not interact socially exactly like expected, they might even experience an autism meltdown while together with their friends. In such scenarios, explaining autism to kids can become quite difficult, as these are not behaviors that they expect from their peers. What’s more, even if you decide to sit down with your neurotypical child and explain to the best of your ability what autism is and how it manifests, it isn’t a simple concept, because each autistic person is unique.
Some can be classified as “high-functioning” on the autism spectrum through the use of the DSM-5, and so the support that they require is going to be minimal, mainly focused on less impactful social aspects, and moderately adjusting to disruptions of schedules. Others though can be completely non-verbal, or they could have restrictive and repetitive behaviors that severely interfere with their daily lives.
Because of this, the best approach with how to explain autism to a child is to do it relating to their friend(s). The most important thing is to find out from the parent if it’s ok to share their child’s autism diagnosis with your child. Some parents don’t always want that to be common knowledge. Second, is to explain why their friend may be responding the way that they are. For example, explaining that they are sensitive to loud noises so when you scream that’s why they cover their ears. Or, when they get excited they express that by jumping up and down and flapping their hands.. From there on out, you can speak to that child’s parent about their level of autism, and any recommendations you could give your child that would help with interactions.
If you’d like to keep yourself as informed as possible about all aspects connected to autism so that you can then explain to your child clearly and easily, our blog has weekly articles, but for now, let’s get into some further, concise tips.
Universal Guidelines to Keep In Mind
More often than not, explaining autism to kids will spring out as a subject because of a question that can be considered rude, such as “Why is John flapping his hands so much?”. Please, hear me out when I say that you should never scold your children for such questions because they’re simply unfiltered due to their age. Your child just manifested a genuine, honest interest into why their friend is acting a certain way, and if you shut them down for it, they’re never going to learn. Use this opportunity to be as matter-of-fact as possible with them.
When my children notice and point out a difference in someone else, our response is usually along these lines: “Remember how we talked about the fact that every single person is different? That is what makes us all so cool. Would you like to go ask him/her what their name is?”. This way, they acknowledge the perceived difference, but they’re also taught that it’s nothing to worry about and instead, they’re encouraged to get to know the person.
Use an analogy
One of the easiest ways of helping your child grasp new information is through an analogy with something they’re passionate about. For example, if your child really likes video games, you could try to explain that kids with autism just go through life with a different layout on their controller or keyboard. Or, if they really enjoy coloring, you could try telling them that autistic people just don’t have access to all the same colors that your child tends to color with. Remember, by explaining something complicated in simple terms, you make it easier to grasp.
Focus on the positives
Yes, an autistic child might struggle in certain situations that could cause a neurotypical child to question their behavior. But they are also going to find other shared interests like playing Minecraft or hide and seek.
Visit the local events
One surefire way of going about the question of how to explain autism to a child is to simply show them that autistic people really aren’t all that dissimilar to them! Many cities have organizations that gather around various groups centered around autism, for activities such as sports, games, or just spreading awareness to more people. As such, explaining autism to kids becomes more intuitive there, as the information is more focused all around them.
How to Explain Autism to an Autistic Child
One question that many parents have is if they should tell their children that they have an autism diagnosis. Autistic adults overwhelmingly feel that it’s important for children to know while they’re growing up that they’re autistic. Many autistic children grow up knowing they’re different and wondering “what is wrong” with them. Understanding that there is a reason behind certain behaviors and actions can make them feel not so alone and “different”.
Of course, the very best method on how to explain autism to an autistic child is going to depend on each and every case. Some parents want to tell their child very early on, and others want to wait until their child is a little older and can fully understand what they’re explaining. You know your children best, and if you’re confident that one way is better than another, then that’s what you should go for. With that in mind, here a few suggestions:
- Ask them if they would like to know anything about the evaluations they’ve just gone through since they’ve visited at least a Pediatrician, as well as a Developmental Pediatrician.
- Explain the new therapies they have to undergo as a positive thing that’s going to help them have an easier day-to-day routine.
- Focus on their strengths, and how this diagnosis just helps them to understand why they do things the way they do.
- Let them know that the difficulties that they are experiencing are completely normal, and that if they know other children with autism, what they’re dealing with might be different than their own experience.
- Once they’re comfortable with the idea, prepare them to explain to other people that they have autism. Remember to use crystal clear language, as abstract terms or idioms aren’t easily comprehended by those on the spectrum.
- Don’t present autism as something negative. The way you teach them about autism is what will shape their opinion of it and ultimately of themselves. Each child should be celebrated for who they are.
Spreading awareness is extremely important, as it’s going to help your child be accepted with greater ease by other members of society, but remember that therapy is also a big part of making them more self-reliant. If you’d like to check for autism therapists in your area, you can check our entire database for free, because finding help should be easy.
