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
Let’s say you’re hanging out with your neighbour, Paul. In your time together, you’ll point out interesting things in the backyard, look at him when he’s commenting on your blooming petunias and make eye contact throughout your game of cards. Joint attention, which is essentially the ability to get, hold and shift attention when you’re interacting with another person, comes naturally to you. The opposite, however, is true for most kids with autism. As joint attention is an important part of social, language and cognitive development, it’s a good idea to foster your sweetie’s skills. Here’s how to start.Read More »Teach Your Child Joint Attention
