Idioms that Autistic people may not understand:

IDIOMS THAT PEOPLE WITH AUTISM AND ASPERGER'S MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND:

Children and even some adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders might not understand some of the expressions people use everyday.
One common characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorders is a tendency to take things literally.
Interpreting things literally has actually helped me understand jokes and even write a few of my own original jokes.
Most people with Asperger's don't understand jokes very well. However, I am an exception. I have always been good at telling and understanding jokes.
If you have an Aspie (Someone with Asperger's) kid, you should avoid using these expressions, because they might not understand them or, worse yet, they could take them literally:
1. Raining cats and dogs.
Pouring rain.
The kid might get confused when they look out the window and they don't see any animals falling out of the sky.
2. This is a "Drill". Or, I am going to "drill" you on Math.
To give someone or a group of people a test.
The kid might think you're going to go to the garage, grab the drill and drill a hole in their head!
3. You hit the nail on the head.
To answer a question perfectly, exactly right.
They may get confused, because they are not using a hammer and pounding a metal nail into wood.
4. You bit off more than you can chew.
Trying to take on too many responsibilities at once.
5. You just opened a big can of worms.
Cause a serious problem.
6. I see the light.
To suddenly understand something you had trouble understanding before.
7. What's up?
It even took me a long time to figure this one out! I now realize it's just some people's way of saying: "Hello, how are you doing?"
That one confused me for a long time! I never knew how to answer that. Then, I listened to how other people responded to it. I learned that, it's not meant to be a question and people don't expect you to answer it. It's just another way to say hello. The only response people expect to that "question" is: Hi, how ya' doin'". They don't expect you to stop and talk most of the time. But, it took me a long time to figure that one out!
8. Stoned.
Meaning: High from drugs.
It took me a while to figure this one out to. I always thought it meant: To throw rocks at someone. Although, I was correct, that is only One definition of the word. The other definition, High, is also correct.
9. I have a "Lead Foot".
To drive a car really fast.
10. "Keep an eye on this".
To watch over and protect something from theft or damage.
An Autistic kid might literally, take the item you want them to guard, pick it up, put it up to their face and hold it against their eyes.
11. Arrest.
To stop something from moving.
If you use this word around an Autistic kid, they might run and hide, because they might think the police are coming to take them to jail!

Asperger's: Avoiding eye contact.

One of the most common traits of a person who has Asperger's is having a fear of giving people eye contact. It is very hard for us to do this. This scares some aspies half to death to look into people's eyes.
If you're talking to somebody and they seem to be uncomfortable giving you direct eye contact, they might appear to be rude. But, trust me, they have no intention of being rude or disrespectful in any way at all. They are just not good at looking people in the eyes, they are very uncomfortable with it or even scared. They might experience anxiety from it. They might get so scared that they feel like running away when they look you in the eye! Sometimes young children will literally try to run away and hide or even have a meltdown or panic attack if they try looking into someone's eyes for too long or if you try to force them to look into yours or someone else's eyes! Just keep one thing in mind: This is absolutely 100% normal behavior for people with Asperger's or most other Autism Spectrum Disorders  (ASD). Not all aspies have this symptom, but most of them do. Just remember, DO NOT TAKE OFFENSE TO THIS!!! Because most people with Asperger's can't help it and it is a very serious phobia that aspies have!
Here is my story of how I learned to get over my fear of looking people in the eyes. It took a very long time and it was not easy! But, now I am able to do it. It is still hard to do and sometimes a little scaredy for me to do and I'll probably never be perfect at it.
I have trouble with making eye contact, but, I can do it now. It took me years to learn how to look people in the eyes. When I first started to learn how to give eye contact, for the first few months, it was so awkward for me to do it, I was very uncomfortable, scared, I felt like I was doing something wrong, or even breaking the law! I sometimes started to panic and hyperventilate a little bit! I had a hard time speaking. I could only stand to look into people's eyes for maybe 10 seconds at a time, then I had to look away for a few seconds, then return to their eyes. Sometimes I had to look at their forehead, eyebrows or nose.
If I was talking to a Teacher, Bar Tender or someone else who probably wouldn't be talking to me if their job didn't require it, it was easier, but still not EASY, just a little easier and still awkward and uncomfortable to give them eye contact.
Cashiers in a grocery store, I was forced to be really close to that person, close enough to hand them money. It was uncomfortable, but the two things that made it easier were the fact that, I didn't know that person most of the time and I only had to deal with them for a few short minutes and I left and got to return to the safety of being alone for a while. Another thing that helped me to deal with cashiers, is the fact that there was some sort of a barrier between me and them. Usually the conveyer belt where you put your groceries.
What was much worse was when I was talking to an attractive female. The more attractive I thought she was, the harder it was for me to look her in the eyes or talk to her.
When I first started to learn how to look people in the eyes, it was one of the hardest and most uncomfortable things I've ever had to learn to do. I felt like I was doing something wrong. It even made me feel sick. But, after a few months of working on it, those feelings went away. I was able to do it more easily.
I've been working on my ability to give people eye contact for probably 20 years now! It's still not easy and, I can't give anybody full, constant eye contact and I still have to look away from people after looking at their eyes for too long, but, it is much easier to do now, especially with people I know.
I went to a Psychiatrist and told her I think I have Asperger's and want to be tested for it.
She said, "I knew you had Asperger's with in the first 5 minutes of taking to you."
I managed to give the Psychiatrist eye contact. She, "said, "You probably had yo learn how to give people eye contact."
I explained to her how hard it was for me to learn how to look people in the eyes, how long it took to get used to it and that it is still hard for me to do and often uncomfortable to give eye contact,  but, I am now at least able to do it.