Children's Top 4 Social Communication Skills

As Insight Collective resumes their Children’s Friendship Groups, it reminds me of the importance of addressing social communication skills early in children with Autism as they begin their treatment programs. It is typically the most challenging area of need.

Usually, four important areas of focus are:

1. Eye Contact

Studies have shown that infants who are later diagnosed with Autism look directly into a caregiver's eyes 25-30% less than neurotypical babies. Also, when they do look at a caregiver's face, they tend to focus more on the areas around the eyes and nose. Eye contact teaches infants how to interpret facial expressions and of course, how to establish a connection and respond to other's bid for connection.

2. Visual scanning

Children with Autism tend to focus on singular details or minute things in their environment. They often miss so many social cues in a group setting. When a neurotypical person walks into a room, they look around and assess the environment. It can be a split second assessment, but it dictates how they behave in that situation.

3. Perspective Taking

Children as young as 12 months respond to other's emotions. At 2 years, they begin to think about how other's are feeling and how to respond to them. Children with Autism struggle with “thinking about what others are thinking about, and how it might be different from their own thoughts”.

4. Reciprocity

Social interaction is a tennis match. You serve and someone volleys back. It can be as simple as smiling at someone you walk past, or as complicated as holding a long conversation. Children with Autism often don't serve (initiate an interaction) or volley (respond to a conversational bid). If they do start a conversation, it can be hard for them to maintain it.

And these are only four aspects of social communication!