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WorksheetsHow to Help a Friend with Autism
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 10mins
Task: Read each situation carefully and tick the box next to the best way to support your friend with autism. 1. Your friend with autism seems overwhelmed at a loud event. What should you do?
Encourage them to take a break in a quiet space
Tell them to ignore the noise and stay in the crowd
Laugh and say they should get used to it
Your friend struggles to understand jokes and sarcasm. How can you help?
Explain the joke in a clear way if they seem confused
Tell them they should learn to 'get it' like everyone else
Avoid joking around them completely
Your friend finds it hard to join conversations. What’s a good way to include them?
Ask them direct questions about topics they enjoy
Wait for them to speak up on their own
Talk over them when they try to join in
Your friend gets anxious with changes in routine. What could you do?
Give them advance notice about any changes
Surprise them with sudden changes to 'help them adapt'
Ignore their concerns and tell them to 'go with the flow'
Your friend doesn’t like making eye contact. How should you react?
Stare at them
Insist they look at you to show respect
Accept that eye contact might make them uncomfortable
Your friend enjoys talking about a specific interest a lot. How should you respond?
Listen and show interest in what they enjoy
Change the subject because it’s repetitive
Tell them to stop talking about it so much
Your friend finds loud noises overwhelming. How can you support them?
Tell them they are being too sensitive
Make loud noises around them to see if they can handle it
Offer noise-cancelling headphones or suggest moving somewhere quieter
Your friend prefers clear and direct communication. What should you do?
Use lots of sarcasm
Speak to them in a clear and straightforward way
Avoid talking to them altogether
Your friend is struggling with group activities. How can you help?
Leave them out
Tell them to just keep up with everyone else
Find a way to involve them in a way they feel comfortable
Your friend feels stressed in crowded places. What’s the best way to help?
Ignore them
Tell them to ‘just deal with it’
Offer to stay with them in a quieter area
Your friend prefers written over spoken instructions. What’s a good way to support them?
Provide instructions in writing when possible
Only give verbal instructions and expect them to keep up
Refuse to repeat anything if they didn’t understand
Your friend sometimes takes things literally. How can you make communication easier?
Be mindful of using phrases that could be confusing
Use lots of idioms and assume they’ll figure it out
Get frustrated when they don’t understand jokes
Your friend has a meltdown due to stress. What should you do?
Walk away
Tell them they are overreacting and need to calm down
Stay calm and offer a quiet space for them to recover
Your friend avoids certain textures in food. How should you react?
Respect their sensory preferences without pressuring them
Force them to try new textures to 'get used to it'
Make fun of them for being picky
Your friend prefers routines and structure. How can you be supportive?
Constantly change plans
Respect their need for structure and try to stick to plans
Ignore their preference and do things last-minute
Your friend finds social situations exhausting. What can you do?
Understand if they need breaks from socialising
Insist they stay out longer even if they’re tired
Call them boring for wanting to leave early
Your friend prefers to work alone rather than in a group. How should you respond?
Force them to work in a group
Respect their preference and help find a comfortable role for them
Assume they don’t like anyone and leave them out
Your friend struggles to express emotions. How can you support them?
Be patient and allow them to express feelings in their own way
Tell them to ‘just say how they feel’ like everyone else
Get frustrated when they don’t react how you expect
Your friend sometimes moves their hands or rocks when nervous. What should you do?
Copy them and laugh
Tell them to stop because it looks unusual
Accept that it helps them feel comfortable
Your friend has special interests they are passionate about. What’s the best way to respond?
Encourage them to share and learn more about what they love
Dismiss their interests as unimportant
Avoid talking about it because it’s not your interest
