Do not raise your voice, grab, or threaten the child with consequences. Raising your voice seems like the natural thing to do to get compliance. (It works at home, right?). However, many children with autism may be sound-sensitive. They may just avoid you. Also, when we raise our voice to a child, we have probably already gave the command four or five times. What we have taught the child is that the only time we really mean business is when we raise our voice. The child with autism knows we don't really expect them to obey us until we are shouting.

To get around this, tell the child to do something once or twice, if the child does not comply, assist them in the least intrusive method needed to get the child to comply. For example, if you have calmly told the child to sit down twice and the child is still standing, place your hand on the child's shoulder and guide the child into the seat. Once the child is seated, say, "Good sitting. I like how you follow directions." The child learns from this encounter that you mean business.

Rather than chase after or grab a child who is running away from you (unless the child is facing obvious danger), tell the child what he or she should be doing ("You need to come back here.") and offer the child a contingency for returning on their own. For example, "As soon as you come back and finish the activity, it will be time for snack (etc.)."

Do not threaten negative consequences (e.g., "If you don't get back here you can't go outside all day!"). This will lead to a power struggle and/or more avoidance. Stay calm and keep it positive.

Teach the child to ask or tell where he or she is going by anticipating their escape behavior and saying, "It looks like you want to go outside. Use your words." And then reward this approprate behavior with a trip outside (if possible - if not, tell the child when going outside is an option.).