Suggestions for Religious 
Leaders 

• 
Ask 
new 
members 
of 
your 
community 
in 
a 
respectful 
way 
if 
any 
accommodations 
could 
enhance 
their 
child’s 
participation. 
• 
Use 
sensitive 
language 
in 
your 
language 
in 
newsletters, 
sermons, 
and 
conversation. 
Instead 
of 
stating 
“autistic 
person”, 
say 
“person 
with 
autism”. 
This 
is 
called 
“person 
first 
language”. 
• 
Do 
not 
tolerate 
bullying, 
teasing, 
or 
insensitive 
remarks 
about 
the 
child 
with 
autism 
or 
their 
family. 
Autism Facts 

• 
Autism 
may 
also 
be 
called 
autism 
spectrum 
disorder, 
ASD, 
PDD, 
PDD-NOS, 
or 
Asperger’s 
• 
Autism 
affects 
males 
four 
times 
more 
often 
than 
females 
• 
Approximately 
half 
of 
all 
individuals 
with 
autism 
are 
nonverbal 
(unable 
to 
speak) 
• 
Some 
individuals 
with 
autism 
are 
highly 
intelligent, 
speak 
very 
well, 
and 
live 
independent 
lives 
• 
Some 
individuals 
with 
autism 
become 
easily 
upset 
in 
unfamiliar 
situations 
and 
unscheduled 
interruptions 
• 
Individuals 
with 
autism 
have 
a 
higher 
rate 
of 
epilepsy 
than 
their 
typical 
peers 
• 
Individuals 
with 
autism 
may 
have 
extreme 
reactions 
to 
seemingly 
commonplace 
objects 
or 
events 
(i.e. 
balloons 
at 
a 
birthday 
party) 
• 
Recognize 
that 
although 
the 
child 
with 
autism 
may 
not 
be 
able 
to 
communicate 
in 
the 
same 
way 
that 
others 
do 
it 
does 
not 
mean 
that 
they 
do 
not 
understand 
what 
is 
being 
said. 
• 
Acknowledge 
and 
accept 
the 
child’s 
strengths 
as 
well 
as 
their 
difficulties. 
• 
If 
you 
have 
multiple 
families 
that 
are 
affected 
by 
autism 
or 
other 
disabilities, 
you 
may 
want 
to 
start 
a 
support 
group 
within 
the 
church. 
These resources can also be helpful in tools in facilitating inclusion 
for children with autism in religious communities: 

• 
Neurodiversity.com 
online 
resource 
list 
of 
books 
and 
articles 
• 
Disabilitiesandfaith.org 
multidenominational 
handouts, 
articles, 
and 
suggestions 
that 
promote 
inclusion 
• 
Autismspeaks.org 
Autism 
books, 
articles, 
and 
other 
resources 
for 
families 
and 
religious 
personnel 
on 
their 
website 
• 
https://louisville.edu/education/kyautismtraining/ 
Useful 
information 
for 
families 
and 
professionals. 
Family 
Guide 
is 
comprehensive 
resource 
to 
services 
and 
supports 
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/ 


Building Supportive 
Communities of Faith 

for Individuals with 
Autism Spectrum Disorders 
and Their Families 



What 
is 
autism? 


Autism 
is 
a 
neurological 
disorder 
with 
a 
variety 
of 
symptoms 
that 
affect 
each 
individual 
in 
different 
ways. 
People 
with 
autism 
may 
have 
difficulty 
in 
communication 
and 
social 
interactions. 
Autism 
spectrum 
disorders 
(ASD) 
are 
known 
to 
be 
more 
common 
than 
previously 
thought 
and 
affects 
people 
from 
all 
walks 
of 
life. 
It 
is 
estimated 
that 
1 
in 
110 
children 
are 
diagnosed 
with 
autism 
each 
year 
(Centers 
for 
Disease 
Control 
and 
Prevention.) 


The 
need 
for 
religious 
inclusion 


Religious 
participation 
is 
often 
regarded 
as 
an 
important 
part 
of 
the 
lives 
of 
many 
American 
families. 
A 
2010 
Gallup 
poll 
indicated 
that 
approximately 
80% 
of 
Americans 
reported 
that 
religion 
was 
important 
in 
their 
lives. 
Despite 
the 
central 
role 
that 
religion 
plays 
in 
the 
lives 
of 
many, 
individuals 
with 
autism 
spectrum 
disorders 
and 
their 
families 
often 
face 
numerous 
barriers 
that 
prevent 
active 
participation 
within 
a 
religious 
community. 


Researchers 
have 
documented 
the 
existence 
of 
attitudes 
and 
routines 
that 
prevent 
individuals 
with 
disabilities 
(including 
autism 
spectrum 
disorders) 
from 
participating 
in 
religious 
settings. 
Sadly, 
numerous 
families 
have 
reported 
that 
they 
have 
been 
instructed 
to 
leave 
religious 
facilities, 
teach 
their 
child 
with 
a 
disability 
about 
religion 
on 
their 
own, 
or 
have 
been 
told 
that 
the 
individual 
with 
a 
disability 
cannot 
participate 
in 
certain 
religious 
practices. 
However, 
many 
religious 
communities 
are 
very 
accommodating 
and 
can 
better 
include 
children 
with 
autism 
and 
their 
families 
with 
the 
right 
supports. 


Myths about autism: 

• 
Autism can be cured-There 
are 
many 
therapies 
and 
treatments 
available 
to 
assist 
individuals 
with 
autism 
in 
their 
daily 
lives. 
However, 
there 
is 
no 
cure 
for 
this 
disorder. 
• 
People with autism do not feel emotions-Like 
anyone 
else, 
people 
with 
autism 
experience 
love, 
frustration, 
sadness, 
and 
joy. 
Often 
these 
individuals 
express 
their 
emotions 
in 
ways 
that 
may 
be 
difficult 
to 
understand 
but 
that 
does 
not 
mean 
that 
they 
do 
not 
have 
feelings. 
• 
Individuals with autism are all geniuses-All 
children 
have 
their 
intellectual 
strengths 
and 
weaknesses 
and 
having 
autism 
does 
not 
change 
that. 
Although 
some 
people 
with 
autism 
may 
have 
incredible 
academic 
gifts 
(such 
as 
a 
very 
strong 
memory 
or 
mathematic 
ability), 
they 
often 
also 
experience 
challenges 
in 
other 
areas 
of 
their 
life 
related 
to 
their 
disorder. 
• 
Bad parenting causes autism-Outdated 
theories 
once 
suggested 
that 
emotionally 
distant 
parents 
caused 
autism. 
However, 
this 
has 
been 
long 
disproven. 
• 
People with autism do not want friends-People 
with 
autism 
often 
have 
difficulties 
knowing 
how 
to 
act 
in 
social 
situations. 
This 
can 
make 
it 
hard 
for 
them 
to 
make 
friends 
but 
does 
not 
mean 
that 
they 
are 
not 
interested 
in 
having 
friendships 
with 
others. 
• 
Individuals with autism don’t speak-Individuals 
with 
autism 
vary 
in 
their 
communication 
abilities 
or 
my 
use 
alternative 
means 
to 
communication 
(e.g. 
sign 
language, 
electronic 
devise, 
pictures). 
Some 
individuals 
may 
not 
be 
able 
to 
verbally 
speak 
whereas 
others 
may 
speak 
very 
clearly. 
Regardless 
of 
ability, 
many 
people 
with 
autism 
have 
trouble 
understanding 
subtle 
aspects 
of 
language 
such 
as 
sarcasm 
and 
irony. 
Suggestions for Family 
Members 

Parents 
and 
other 
family 
members 
can 
act 
as 
advocates 
to 
better 
their 
experience 
within 
their 
religious 
community 
in 
the 
following 
ways: 


• 
Speak 
with 
the 
religious 
leaders 
about 
your 
child’s 
needs 
and 
how 
to 
better 
support 
and 
involve 
your 
child. 
Difficult 
behaviors, 
sensory 
differences, 
and 
accommodations 
the 
child 
uses 
in 
addition 
to 
your 
hopes 
for 
your 
child’s 
involvement 
should 
all 
be 
addressed. 
• 
Practice 
with 
your 
child 
at 
home 
religious 
routines 
and 
review 
what 
to 
expect. 
Ask 
to 
tour 
your 
place 
of 
worship 
when 
it 
is 
empty 
to 
better 
prepare 
your 
child 
for 
what 
to 
expect. 
• Bringsmall,quiettoysandfavoriteobjectstokeepyourchildbusyduringtheservice.
• Ifyourchildisapickyeaterorspecialdietaryneeds,preparefavoritesnacksforyourchildsotheycanparticipateinreligiousmeetingsandgatheringswithotherswherefoodisprovided.