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.
The playground represents a time for having fun where children laugh, play, run around, and form friendships. However, for a child with autism the playground is like being lost in a foreign country without knowing the language. The playground is chaotic, unpredictable, loud, and over-stimulating. We often see children with autism walking the perimeter of […]
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Cats are lovable and cute, but what most people don’t know is that these furry animals can help children with autism improve their social skills. Cats bond with the children by providing affection and attention which promotes healthy relationships. Parents with children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) might not want to get their child […]
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The word “playdate” is a dreaded word for many autism families. I know numerous families that will avoid playdates for several reasons. Many parents think their child cannot participate in them because they lack the play, social, and verbal skills to be successful. Some parents will not schedule playdates because they are not themselves social. […]
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Children with autism spectrum disorder can sometimes find communication and social interaction difficult, and parents can feel shut out. But caregivers can make a big difference in opening the door to communication—and part of it might boil down to meat and potatoes. Why are we bringing dinner into the discussion? Keep reading! Changing the way […]
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Most parents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children want them to have effective social coaching in school to supplement what’s done at home. School Individualized Education Programs (IEP) usually include groups using social learning curriculum. How do we assess whether the child is learning effective skills? Are there any possible negative effects of social skills instruction, or […]
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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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