Tips to Help Your Child with Autism Build Friendships

One of the most common indicators of autism in children is the inability to socialize and communicate with others. These young individuals often experience difficulties in forming relationships and identifying social signals.

Social cues help to foster conversations and social interaction with others. These indicators are usually recognized by children who observe others and can accept non-verbal cues, such as a child being interested in playing with them. For children with autism, it is hard for them to detect these signals and it is also a challenge for them to communicate in a manner that is understandable to other children. These challenges limit their ability to assimilate and form friendships with their peers.

If your child has autism, it can be disheartening to see them withdrawing and often refusing to interact with other kids. To help your child build friendships, here are a couple of suggestions that you should consider.

Have a Conversation about Friendships

One of the easiest ways to help your child develop their social skills is by encouraging them to define friendships. Let them know that friends are kind, say nice things to them, and treat them fairly. By explaining these somewhat abstract concepts, you are helping them to identify the right behaviours and the foundations of friendship.

Additionally, role-playing or using emotional cue cards to address certain expressions and emotions is also a beneficial practice. These exercises will help children to recognize specific emotions and be more receptive to children displaying the right behaviours. They may also learn to exhibit such behaviours to attract friends.

Plan a Playdate

To further a potential friendship, you can ask your child what they like to do and inquire about the interests of other children in their classroom. For example, if your child loves basketball, ask them whether there are other children in their class that like basketball as well.

By asking these questions, you can approach other parents and ask them whether they are open to a playdate. Inviting children over can help to stimulate interaction and encourage your child to communicate and connect with others. Also, while the other child is over, offering praise and encouraging interaction is a great way to help your child develop confidence.

How Mente Autism Can Help

Mente Autism is a renowned device that has been helping children to concentrate more effectively and positively cooperate with others. Implementing this device, along with other existing autism therapies, is a great way to induce positive results with each interaction and session. For more information on this device, feel free to contact us.

This content is provided for informational purposes only; it is not intended nor recommended as a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the content for diagnosing a health problem or disease. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider regarding any medical condition or treatment.

External Sources:

https://www.sarahdooleycenter.org/2016/05/how-to-help-children-with-autism-make-friends/