THE AUTISM ACCEPTANCE BOOK

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(No Transcript)
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THE AUTISM ACCEPTANCE BOOK

• By Ellen Sabin

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Take a Walk in SOMEONE Elses Shoes

• When people look or act differently than you, the
  best thing to do is try to understand and accept
  them. In other words, learn more about them, be
  kind to them, and include them in the things that
  you and your friends do together.
• One great way to try to understand people who
  seem different from you is to walk in their
  shoes.

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What does it mean to WALK in someones SHOES?

• You think about things that are hard for them and
  imagine what it would feel like if those things
  were hard for you, too.
• You think about the things they do and dont
  enjoy doing and imagine feeling the same way.
• You think about how people talk to them and treat
  them and imagine how it would feel if people
  acted in those ways towards you.

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How are PEOPLE different from one another?

• Looks
• Skills
• Challenges
• Fears
• Personality

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But even though everyone is different, EVERYONE
likes to be included, accepted, and liked!
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How are you DIFFERENT?
How do YOU like to be treated?
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What is AUTISM?

• Autism is a condition that affects the way some
  peoples brains work.
• People with autism are wired differently from
  other people. This means that their brains work
  differently. And weve already seen that being
  different is OK!
• Some of the things that are easy for you to do
  like talking, learning, playing, and making
  friends are sometimes very hard for people with
  autism.

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How may they ACT differently?

• People with autism find it difficult to talk.
  Some people with autism may not even be able to
  talk at all.
• When people with autism have toys around them,
  they may not seem interested or play with them
  differently.
• People with autism often have a hard time making
  friends or learning how to act around other
  people.

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The Five SENSES

• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Smell
• Taste

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More ABOUT Autism

• People with autism need to work really hard to do
  things that might come easy to you.
• People with autism usually get help from doctors,
  therapists, and teachers.
• Doctors and researchers are not sure what causes
  autism or why some people get it. But they do
  know it is not contagious you can not catch
  autism like a cold.
• Many people in the world have autism 1 in 150.

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FRIENDS with Autism

• Understanding what makes them different and
  special and how you can be a good friend!
• You will get to learn how and why your friends
  with autism sometimes act differently.
• You can even try to imagine how they feel.

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People with Autism may have very good HEARING

• Sometimes that may seem good, but sometimes
  having good hearing means that all of the
  different noises get really LOUD and distracting
  and it can hurt their ears.
• When this happens, they might cover their ears or
  say words to themselves so that the noises they
  hear dont seem so loud.

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People with autism may notice many, many DETAILS

• Your friends with autism see a lot of small
  things that other people dont notice like every
  single color in a room or where every picture is
  hung.
• When something is out of place, they may become
  upset. They might cry or flap their hands, twist
  their bodies, or tap on a desk. This is for
  comfort.

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People with autism do not like to be SURPRISED
they feel much more comfortable when things are
predictable

• Your friends with autism like to have a routine
  so they know what they are doing every day.

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People with autism may like to PLAY in different
ways than you do

• People with autism are better at thinking about
  things that are real rather than things that are
  pretend.
• They may prefer games with words and numbers, or
  like playing with puzzles or computers.
• Just like you, they have fun running around,
  doing sports, and spending time with friends.

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People with autism may sometimes have a hard time
TALKING

• People with autism sometimes find it hard to talk
  or say the right words. Some people with autism
  may not speak at all.
• When people with autism cant speak they may
  learn to communicate with pictures instead of
  words.

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People with autism may not UNDERSTAND the way
you use certain words

• People with autism tend to think the words mean
  exactly the way they sound, like expressions.
• You probably know when someone says, Thats
  cool, they are not talking about the weather.
• If people with autism dont understand your words
  they may get frustrated, confused, or scared.

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People with autism have difficulty understanding
NONVERBAL communication

• Nonverbal communication is the way that people
  show how they are feeling without using words
  like when someone smiles they are happy.
• People with autism may not look at you when you
  talk. Thats because the expressions on your face
  dont help them understand your feelings.

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People with autism may feel TOUCH in different
ways than you do

• Sometimes their skin is very sensitive and even
  just a light touch may feel like a pinch.
• Other times, they might not have much feeling so
  they dont realize how rough they play with you.
• Think about the last time someone tickled you.
  Now, imagine that each of those tickles felt more
  like a strong pinch. How does it make you feel?

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GROUP Activities

• Teach others about autism and learn more by
  visiting your library or reading books about
  autism.
• You can raise money for autism research. You can
  sell your arts and crafts or lemonade and donate
  the money to Autism Speaks.

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Central NJ Walk Sunday, October 19, 2008
West Windsor

• NJ Shore Walk Sunday, September 28, 2008
  Point Pleasant Beach

• North/Central NJ Walk Sunday, October 26,
  2008 Cranford