Joint attention is a vital social-communication skill that plays an essential role in child development. It’s the ability to get, hold, and shift attention while… Read More »How to Teach A Child Joint Attention with ABA
As ABA professionals, we should be teaching joint attention to children with autism. It encourages social engagement; a way for the child to bring others into his or her world. So how can we teach this important skill?
Talking face-to-face, your child with autism doesn’t look at you. Her eyes have never intentionally met yours. It’s hurtful sometimes – it would feel so connective if she’d gaze at you when you said I love you – and at other times it comes across as rude. It’s not her fault and it’s not yours. Many people on the spectrum struggle with eye contact, finding it uncomfortable or, for some, extremely stressful. Given that eye contact doesn’t come naturally to kiddos with ASD, should you encourage Penny to peek into your peepers? We think so.Read More »Look At Me: How To Encourage Eye Contact
