Where can I ask questions about autism

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^ AspieUtah is right - you are doing a very good thing by befriending Jonathan. The world needs more people like you. But be under no illusion that it won't be easy, and things won't happen quickly. You're going to need a lot of patience and empathy (you seem to have these already), and there will be times when you get hurt. You'll need some support yourself, so feel free to talk to people here on WP if you don't have someone IRL.

Whatever you do, don't think you can 'cure' Jonathan. Autism is a lifelong condition, and people on the spectrum cope with it in their own particular way - and cope better when they are shown kindness and understanding. You will have to be ultra-sensitive to his needs, and at the same time gently teach him how to be sensitive to your needs and those of others. This will make a big difference to his life. But in the end he's defined by his humanity, not his condition - he's a person first, autistic second.

In Britain, the National Autistic Society are currently running a major campaign called 'Too much information', designed to help the public understand autism better. If you visit their site, www.autism.org.uk you'll see an excellent short film featuring a young actor with autism in a real-life situation.

You've taken an important step by coming here.

Honesty is another of your qualities.

There are 2 other 'hidden' senses in the body: body awareness and sense of balance.

My body awareness is under-sensitive (hyposensitivity) so I desire deep pressure, like keeping myself curled up frequently or repetitively moving my hands.

This is not meant to be negative in anyway just my thoughts since my first post here 16 days ago on May 12,2016
I came to this site to try and figure out how to get my boot back and deal with the new weird kid that stole it (I only have one pair of boots and a pair of Adidas sports slides).
He is a big and scary guy.Not to understand a friend.
I learned He takes what you say literary I said just take it and leave me alone because I was talking to a girl ( Dad all ways said When you choose the behavior you choose the consequences)I meant just look at it.
I learned I chose the behavior not taking the time to see the kid I only seen the weird kid
If you give the weird kid something it’s his forever I was the first person outside of his Grandparents to every give him something (even if I didn’t mean to and it was a stupid right boot)
I learned giving him something means everything to him no matter what it is
When the weird kid stands in your face when he talks to you, but never looks you in the eye. (I was raised to make eye contact when you talk to someone)
I learned eye contact is hard for him he is not rude or a jerk
When the weird kid starts acting weirder
I learned he is melting down from the pressure and can’t control it and if you are quit he is fine in a few minutes
When I see the weird kid putting everything in order in my room by size or color and so on
I learned it helps give him order in a strange place he will be spending time and not just going though my stuff
When the weird kid ignores me
I learned he is concentrating on something else and I need to wait.
When friends are talking and all the sudden the weird kid starts talking about Star Wars
I learned he was not ignoring what we were talking about he just can’t always stay on one subject. he is not being a jerk
But most of all I learned the weird kid is not so weird just different and just wants to be a kid, but don’t understand how to be or how my NT brain works and He may not have been the weird kid with the attitude after all.it may have been me.
I learned if he is your friend he is your friend no matter what and will do things with you that in his brain is driving him crazy and will do everything he can to not let you know it’s scaring him or driving him crazy.
Now that I look back on that first day I meet the out of place weird kid that was just trying to make a friend in his own way and I gave my boot to so he would leave me alone because he was bugging me and it made me spend the day at school wearing a left boot and a white sock on my right foot was my fault not his.
I remember the feeling walking around with my boot missing and my friends giving me a hard time. I know it’s not close to the same thing but it did make me different from everyone and people reacted and not all ways nice ( I know that's not a good analogy)
Last thing and the biggest lesson to date on my weird friend
I learned out of everyone in that gym Jonathan picked me to be friends with and would not take no for an answer no matter how I acted
I learned I was the lucky one that day. Of course it took my mom to point that out. But as hard as i made it he never gave up.I guess the point is the weird kid was not the rude jerk I was. and I found a loyal friend

As I said earlier, the world needs more people like you.

I agree with Ezra - this post is amazing. You've travelled a long way in the last 16 days, further than some people do in a lifetime.

Cheyenne.m, you learned more about autism that most doctors know. And, they spend years trying to understand it.

I hope you have a great weekend.

What a cool image! Is that really you and Jonathan? You guys look great.

yes sir see what I mean he a big boy

My dad taught me I started at 7yr in the cattle pens at home.Johnathan ask to learn he wants to team rope with me but not sure I can teach him, not being mean just don't understand how he learns. I've tried to explain some of it but it happen so fast when the rope leaves your hand it's hard to explain

Cool pic. He is not as big as I pictured, but still big.

I noticed you only have one boot on hehe.