INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Choose a time when your child is calm to interact with them. If they're relaxed, they will be more receptive to what you have to say. Also, choose an environment that does not have a lot going on at once because excessive stimuli can make your child unable to function. Autistic children, especially those who are hypersensitive, may need extra space in order to feel comfortable. Try sitting next to them, leaving a little space, and letting them get close to you if they choose. Sensory input (like your hand on their shoulder or the smell of toothpaste on your breath) can be overwhelming and distracting. If you want them to be a good listener, give them space. Turning away, leaning away, or pushing you away are all signs that they need you to back up a little. Autistic children don't always respond easily to questions such as "How are you?", which may feel intimidating or overwhelming. Collecting thoughts into sentences can take time for autistic people, so starting with something less pressuring helps them feel that the interaction isn't either pass or fail. Complementing their toy can start a conversation. Simply make a comment and see if they respond. Once again, start with a topic of interest to them. Older children may have developed scripts which they recite when prompted with a question. In this case, starting with "How are you?" will automatically result in an answer such as "Good." Opening with a question will not be stressful if the child has a script for that question. Once you find out what the child is interested in, it will be much easier to create conversation. If you discuss subject matter that is comfortable for them, they may open up. Finding the right "wavelength" on which to communicate is essential for smooth conversation. For example, your son may be obsessed with cars, and you can use this topic as a good opener. If you speak to an autistic child using short sentences, they may be able to process the information more effectively. This depends on the child. Some autistic children can process long sentences well. Never condescend to them or treat them like they are half their age. Some autistic children have trouble processing spoken words. If this is the case, try writing messages to them, such as "We are going to eat now." They may write back, or respond verbally in a more effective fashion due to the visual communication. Written communication can be a great tool. Autistic people tend to think visually, and they can benefit from pictures. Try drawing diagrams, instructions, or simple pictures to help communicate ideas. Visuals may help them understand more clearly what you're trying to verbally express, because many autistic children respond more effectively to visual communication. Try using visuals to create your child's schedule. Draw their daily activities; eating breakfast, going to school, coming home, playing, bedtime, etc. Add words if your child is learning to read. This will allow your child to check off their daily activities and add structure to their day. You can use stick figures to explain activities, but make sure you add a component that personalizes each character. For instance, maybe you have red hair. Add this to your stick figure so that your child associates that figure as being 'mom'. You may need to pause more frequently than in your average conversation. It is important that you give your child time to process the information that they just received. Be patient and make sure you are not rushing them; allow them to process and respond on their own time. If they do not respond to your first question, do not throw another at them. This could confuse them further. Remember that this is a question of processing, not intelligence. Very intelligent people can have trouble processing spoken words, so do not automatically assume that the child has no intellectual abilities. Expect them to be slow to make decisions. Give them lots of advance notice and time to think. Recognize that processing time may vary. If the child is overwhelmed, they may need much more time than when they are relaxed. Anyone who speaks a language is aware that there are many possible variations in phrasing. Although you mean the same end result with each variation, the words can be different. Autistic children cannot process this variation, so make sure you keep phrases consistent to avoid confusion. For example, if you are at the dinner table, you can ask for the peas a dozen different ways. However, for some autistic children, it is best to stick to a uniform and consistent phrase. Remember that perfect consistency is impossible, and there's no need to stress if you don't use the same phrase every time. Your child may not speak to you at all, but do your best to not take this personally. Approach your child in a sensitive manner, respecting their boundaries and making it clear that you're available if they want you. You can never know with certainty why the child is silent. The timing of the conversation may have been off, the environment could be negative, or the child could be imagining something else. Fundamentally respecting your child's feelings and boundaries is the best way to get them to open up to you. If others try to speak to your child, they may think that your child is anti-social or doesn't like them. Neither of these are likely the case. Either way, make sure that they are sensitive to your child's situation. Autistic children can struggle with figurative speech. They have a hard time understanding sarcasm, idioms, and humor. Make sure you are literal and specific, which will make it easier for them to understand you. You can introduce figurative speech into their lives as they are developmentally ready. If your child looks confused, just try rephrasing or explaining what you said. If you used a figure of speech, you can explain what it means. Autistic children can learn what new words and phrases mean.

SUMMARY: Choose a calm, quiet time and place. Avoid intruding on their personal space. Begin conversations with a statement. Speak about their interests. Shorten your sentences if you're talking to a younger child or a person who doesn't process spoken words well. Draw a picture. Allow for processing time. Maintain linguistic consistency as needed. Be sensitive and don't take silence personally. Speak literally.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The add photo button looks different on different phone operating systems. Touch the image placeholder button. In order to add a profile photo, you'll need a working Internet connection. On iPhone, touch OK to give WhatsApp access to your photos. If you have a touchscreen phone, use your fingers to move the image inside the circle. Pinch and zoom to change the image's size.

SUMMARY:
Use an existing image as a profile photo. Touch choose existing or upload photo button. Choose a profile photo. Move and scale the image. Touch the choose or done button to select the image.