FAQautism

A common characteristic of autism is literal interpretation of words or events. When it comes to books, stories, cartoons, television, and movies, we must not assume our friends with autism can discern the difference between fact and fiction. Here are some tips for helping individuals sort out real events and people from imaginary stories and characters.

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Fact or fiction. Teachers and family members can always make clear the distinction between fact and fiction by telling individuals with autism whether the story is real or pretend. So, for example, if we are reading a story about the Velveteen Rabbit or Hansel and Gretel, we can say, “This is a pretend story about imaginary people. Let’s see what happens.” And if we are getting ready to read a letter from a child’s grandparents whom they rarely see, we can show the child a picture of their grandparents and say, “This is a real letter from Grandmama and Papa.” Better yet, tape a 3-minute video of grandparents talking directly to the child and show that to the child before reading letters from Grandmama and Papa.

Real-life literature. I find that individuals of all ages on the spectrum of autism are often intrigued by books, magazines, and videos that focus on actual events, places, and things. There is, for example, a growing selection of children’s books about real topics – animals, transportation, places, science, history, inventions, cultures, food, and other interesting themes. Many of these books use actual photographs or realistic illustrations that help distinguish them from cartoons or imaginary stories. The same is true of magazines and web-based materials.

TIP FOR THE DAY. We just need to keep in mind that many of our friends with autism interpret most of what they see and hear literally. We need to take purposeful steps to help them make the distinction between fact and fiction. And we can help find reading material that is, indeed, based on actual people, events, things, and places so they have a frame of reference in the future for distinguishing between real and imaginary worlds.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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