Summarize the following:
To relate to someone requires that you know where this person is coming from, so it is very helpful to learn about the challenges an autistic person faces. They may have trouble reading your emotions, or they might read your emotions but not be sure why you feel that way. In addition to this confusion, sensory issues and introversion are common, so socializing can be tiring. But the sense of a connection with you is still likely very important to them. To learn more about the symptoms and challenges of being autistic, see How to Recognize the Signs of Autism. You may see in your friend a tendency to say or do things that are socially inappropriate at the time, such as saying something out loud most people have learned to keep in their heads, getting too close to someone else, or cutting in line. This is because understanding social rules can be difficult for autistic people. It's okay to explain a social rule or tell them that an action of theirs upset you. For example, "This isn't the back of the line, so we shouldn't cut in here. I see the back of the line over there." Autistic people often have strong senses of fairness, so explaining how a social rule fits into these values may help. Assume that they mean well. Autistic people usually do not mean to be offensive. They don't want to hurt you or anyone else; they just don't understand how to respond. Autistic people tend to display a variety of atypical behaviors. For example, autistic individuals may: Echo things someone else said. This is called 'echolalia'. Talk about a topic for a long period of time, without recognizing when others have lost interest. Speak honestly, and sometimes bluntly. Interject with statements that seem irrelevant to the current discussion, such as pointing out a pretty flower. Not respond to their own names. For many autistic individuals, routines are an important aspect of their lives. Because of this, you can better relate to an autistic person by keeping in mind that routine may matter a great deal to them; you can help this individual by making sure their routine stays on track throughout the day. If you have become part of this person's routine and then break it, it could be very upsetting to your friend. Try to keep in mind their perspective as you interact with him. Keep in mind that just because you may not value routine that much, and so don't care much whether routine is deviated from or not, to them it may be a huge deal if you deviate from routine. Special interests are similar to a passion in non-autistic people but are even stronger for an autistic person. Your friend may engage in their special interest(s) often, and love to talk about it. See if their interest area overlaps with yours, and use it as a tool to connect. Some autistic people have more than one special interest at once. Every autistic person is different, and so it's important to understand them as a unique person. Difficulty reading tone of voice and body language is typical of autistic people, so they may need extra explanation. Autistic people usually have slightly different body language, including an avoidance of eye contact and frequent stimming (repetitive self-soothing behaviors). Recognize your friend's own personal "normal." Autistic people often have sensory issues. They may react differently, or even adversely, to strong odors (such as tuna), unexpected touches, loud noises, or certain textures (to name a few). There is a false stereotype about autism, most likely (unintentionally) propagated in part by the movie Rain Man, in which it is thought that most autistic individuals have super-human cognitive abilities (such as the ability to near instantly count how many toothpicks fell on the floor). In fact, such autistic savants are not all that common.
Recognize the emotional challenges autistic people face. Learn about the social challenges. Learn about the behaviors of autistic individuals. Understand the importance of routine. Recognize the power of special interests. Get to know this person's strengths, differences, and challenges. Rid yourself of stereotypes about autistic individuals.