NCJ Number
196540
Date Published
2002
Length
178 pages
Annotation
This book offers guidelines to emergency responders, retailers, and parents in identifying and interpreting the behavior of individuals with autism thereby avoiding potentially serious situations.
Abstract
This book offers law enforcement, rescue personnel, and other first responders with the guidelines and skills on how to interpret common behaviors of people with autism. It explains what to look for and how to successfully handle encounters with autistic individuals. Emergency responders, as well as parents, are walked through everyday situations, stressing safety and awareness showing both responders and parents how to avoid serious situations when a person with autism is involved. The book is divided into 11 chapters: (1) What is Autism; (2) Why Training is Needed; (3) Characteristics of Autism; (4) Why Law Enforcement Might be Called; (5) How to Communicate; (6) Challenging Circumstances for Emergency Responders; (7) Particular Challenges for Ambulance and Emergency Room Workers; (8) Fire Rescue; (9) Shoplifting and Store Disturbances: A Special Problem for Retailers and Law Enforcement Officers; (10) How Emergency Responders and Parents can Work Together; and (11) Preventing Problems in Everyday Life. Epilogue and appendices