Articles that focus on basic social interaction, guidance on ways to help people on the spectrum connect with other people (especially making friends), sharing interests, understanding social cues, reactions, nonverbal cues, other people’s feelings, body language, facial expressions.
Seriously, what child really wants to sign up for social skills class? In my storied career, I’ve actually only heard one child bemoan, “But Mom, I really need social skills!” The rest of my clients have been coaxed, cajoled, and bribed into attending the initial session, generally to discover that the class wasn’t that harrowing, […]
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What Are Social Skills? Social skills refer to a child’s ability to communicate with others in a way that is acceptable and appropriate. When a child has social skills, he/she can form friendships and can carry a simple conversation. Social Skills and Autism It’s a common misconception that children with autism do not make friends […]
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Books are excellent teaching tools for kids and adults alike as they are helpful for tackling some of the challenges surrounding autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For a lot of people on the spectrum and their families, reading books about autism is a great way to educate and to help manage everyday life. Best Books to […]
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Tired of working on social skills and feeling like it’s not clicking? Stuck in a rut? Maybe it’s time to consider what else might be impacting you or your child’s ability to take his/her hard-earned skills and use them (successfully!) in everyday life. I frequently hear frustration with regard to the rate of progress or […]
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Video games, social media, and technology are becoming an increasingly large part of our children’s lives. Digital play is now the most common type of play engaged in by younger children. Recent studies suggest that kids under the age of eight spend about 2.5 hours per day with screen media. For kids five and under, […]
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The breezes of summer are leaving us and are being replaced by the crisp air of autumn. The trees once green and full of leaves are now bearing bright reds, oranges, and gold. Transition is a wonderful time to reflect on the memories of the past and look forward to the excitement of the future. […]
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Costumes? Candy? Frightening décor? Halloween seems like it should be fun for all, but this holiday can be stressful for families with kiddos on the autism spectrum. Here are some tips to make Halloween a little less scary for your family: Costume Concerns Let your child get used to the costume. You can practice having […]
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Earth Day will soon be here! It serves as a reminder to care for the Earth every day and teach our children to do the same. A powerful way to get kids to appreciate and care for Mother Earth is to get them outside and build their love of nature. Kids enjoy the fun and […]
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Social skills can be broadly defined as the ability to develop and maintain relationships. Deficits in social skills are a core feature for children, as well as adults with autism. For school-age children with high-functioning autism, limitations in social skills adversely impact conversation skills, peer acceptance, and self-perception. Available research indicates that children with autism […]
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Welcome back to Social Skills Corner. This month we will give you five excellent ways to help your child transition from school to summer break. We will begin with an example which many parents can relate to: Susan was not looking forward to June because she knew she would need to find something for her […]
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