What R.A.s Can Do

• Actively enforce your school's quiet hours and/or courtesy hours policy! Be aware that residents with autism often do not reach out for help or complain to someone, so you must enforce quiet hours even if you do not receive a formal complaint. This benefits all residents in the building by creating a living and learning environment more condusive to academic and social success (Wolf, Brown, & Bork, 2009).

​

• Be knowledgeable about solutions to suggest to residents such as earplugs/ noise canceling headphones, noise machines, lamps so that they do not have to use the overhead lights, etc.

​

• Be aware that overstimulation, especially if paired with other factors, can escalate into a big situation. Look for triggers and warning signs that the resident is feeling distressed as a result of overstimulation (such as pacing, muttering, etc.) so that you can intervene before the situation escalates.