Autism And Making Friends: 3 Strategies For Helping Your Child Socialize
Posted on: 28 July 2017
Many children struggle with making friends at school. After all, shyness and difficulty making introductions are common among all children at times. However, you just can't help but cringe when you see your child playing alone on the playground. Although children with autism do face a few challenges when it comes to making friends, you can help them enjoy a rich social life by implementing these simple strategies.
Do Some Detective Work
Every child with autism is unique, and this means that your child may simply prefer to play by themselves. However, complaints about being left out or feeling like they have no friends should always be taken seriously. When your child seems unhappy with their current social circle, reach out to their teachers and other adults who might be able to shed some insight. While it may be hard to hear that your child still struggles with sharing or fails to read social cues, this gives you a good starting point for knowing where your child needs additional support.
Provide Real Life Opportunities to Practice
A child with a social or behavioral challenge must feel safe enough to take risks that allow them to grow. Therefore, parents often find that social skills groups designed for children with autism are the perfect starting point for helping their kid begin to branch out. In these types of groups, children with all different types of abilities are provided with opportunities to practice things such as reading body language within a supportive environment. Since many of these lessons are taught through play activities such as games and role-playing, the children in these groups find it easier to begin learning how to make friends.
Introduce Friends With Common Interests
As your child begins to feel more comfortable in social situations, you can begin to introduce new potential friends. Start by focusing on activities that your child finds interesting. For instance, you could sign them up for a chess team if they love playing at home. Placing your child in proximity to other children who share similar interests gives them a common background on which they can begin to form a friendship.
While some children come to learn social skills easily, others take a little practice. The great news is that every child can learn to make friends when they are provided with the right type of support. By observing your child to find out where they struggle and providing them with safe opportunities to practice socializing, you can ensure that they enjoy a full life that is enriched with friends.
For more information, talk to a company like Let's Go Play, Inc.
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