I realised early on to speak to my child in a concrete way and it came as a complete surprise to me. On this one particular time when he was quite little, his behaviour was erratic and challenging and he wouldn’t stop! I was so frustrated and said to him in a firm, loud voice “for goodness sake, pull your socks up”! Well, he stopped what he was doing and stooped down to pull his socks up and he wasn’t even wearing any. That’s when I knew to say exactly what I meant.
So from then on, after a bit of a giggle about it, I have used the correct words so he understands. Most people with intellectual disability and Autism or Aspergers take everything literally and it is confusing for them. The world is full of nuances and silly sayings which when translated don’t even make sense. How difficult it must be for people who struggle with their cognitive development. We all want to feel included and part of the community but when there is a communication barrier it can be very isolating. Keeping it simple, direct and accurate is the answer.