Social Interaction

As with most children with autism. My son isolated himself. He made friends with his stuffed animals and not other children. He was always by himself. He would not make eye contact with anyone, not even me, his mother.
It broke my heart to see him alone all of the time. When I would sit with him, and tried to talk to him, to make sure I got his attention, I gently would touch his shoulder and kneel down so he could like into my eyes, or softly touch under his chin so he would look at me. If I was across the room and raised my voice, he would instantly shut down. He would go down to the floor into the fetal position. So through the years, learning that he reacts well, to a quiet soft voice talking to him, and softly touching his shoulder or under his chin worked, so I still use it to this day.
I work with special needs preschoolers and I have taken this idea in working with the children, so far it has worked wonders. Although I don't know how much they understand me. The special needs preschoolers react more positively with this approach.