For more information about autism, 

How to be a Friend to 
look for these and other books at 
your local library 

Someone with Autism 

• 
Amenta, C. (1992). Russell is extra special: 
A book about autism for children. New 
Our Similarities are Greater than 

York: Magination Press. 

Our Differences. 

• 
Bishop, B.(2002). My friend with autism. 
Arlington, TX: Future Horizons, Inc. 
• 
Bleach, F. (2001). Everybody is different: A 
book for young people who have brothers 
or sisters with autism. Shawnee Mission, 
KS : Autism Asperger Publishing Company. 

• 
Edwards, A.(2001). Taking autism to 
school. Plainview, NY: JayJo Books, LLC . 
• 
Ely, L., & Dunbar, P. (2004). Looking after 
Louis. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & 
Company. 
• 
Keating-Velasco, J. (2007). A is for autism, 
F is for friend. Shawnee Mission, KS : 
Autism Asperger Publishing Company. 
• 
Lowell, J., & Tuchel, T. (2005). My best 
friend Will. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism 
Asperger Publishing Company. 
• 
Messner, A. W. (1995). Captain Tommy. 
Stratham, NH: Potential Unlimited 
Publishing. 
• 
Murrell, D. (2001). Tobin learns to make 
friends. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons, Inc. 
• 
Simmons, K. (1997). Little rainman: Autism 
through the eyes of a child. Arlington, TX: 
Future Horizons, Inc. 
• 
Thompson, M. (1996). Andy and his yellow 
frisbee. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House 
For more information: 

Kentucky Autism Training Center 

College of Education and Human Development 
University of Louisville 
Louisville, KY 40292 


Office: 502-852-4631 Toll free: 800-334-8635 ext. 852-4631 
E-mail: katc@louisville.edu 


Website: www.louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/ 


This information was adapted from materials developed by 
the Autism Society of America, 
Alaska Autism Resource Center and the 
Indiana Resource Center for Autism. 




help him or her do things if they want you to. 
• Never be afraid to ask your teacher 
questions about your classmates with 
autism. 
• Help other kids learn about autism. 
“coach,” sit at a special desk or 
table, or use pictures or symbols 
to communicate with you and the 
teacher. Some kids may even 
have special computers that 
“talk” for them. 
Friendly classmates can be 
the best help of all to a child 
with autism. 
Approximately 1,500,000 
people in the U.S. have 
autism, and it is more 
common in boys than girls. 
What is Autism? 
Autism affects the way a person’s brain 
and body works. It is not a disease and 
is not contagious. You cannot catch 
autism from a classmate or friend. 

A person with autism may have a hard 
time communicating with other people, 
making friends, or following directions. 
However, with the help of teachers, 
classmates, families and friends, children 
with autism can learn and play. 

What Causes Autism? 
No one knows why some people have 
autism and there may be many different 
causes. Scientists are still trying to find 
out just what those causes are and how 
to best help people with autism. 

Some Kids with Autism May: 

• 
Have trouble talking, make strange 
sounds, or not talk at all 
• 
Flap their hands, spin, or laugh 
• 
Sit quietly and not look at others 
• 
Play or behave differently than other 
friends 
• 
Be very active or be very quiet and like to 
spend time alone 
• 
Have trouble looking directly at you 
• 
Do or say the same things over and over 
again (like lining up toys or repeating a line 
from a movie). 
Where Do Kids with Autism 
Go to School? 

Kids with autism can be in many different 
types of classrooms and schools. 

They may be a member of your class or may 
be in a classroom that was set up especially 
for them. Many children with autism also 
participate in after-school activities with 
classmates, friends, and neighbors. You 
may see some special arrangements used to 
help a child with autism participate in your 
class. He or she may have a special 

How Can I Be a Friend To Someone 
with Autism? 

When you become a friend to a person with 
autism, you both learn a lot from each other. 
Here are some ideas that can help you be a 
better friend to a kid with autism: 

• 
Accept your friend’s differences. 
• 
Know that some kids with autism are really 
smart, just in a different way. 
• 
Protect your friend from things that bother 
him or her. 
• 
Talk in small sentences with simple words 
and use simple gestures like pointing. 
• 
Use pictures or write down what you want 
to say to help your friend understand. 
• 
Join your friend in activities that interest 
him or her. 
• 
Be patient – understand that your friend 
doesn’t mean to bother you or others. 
• 
Wait – give him or her extra time to answer 
your question or complete an activity. 
• 
Invite your friend to play with you and to 
join you in group activities. Teach your 
friend how to play by showing them what 
they can do in an activity or game. 
• 
Sit near your friend whenever you can, and