Understanding Autism Milestones and Social Skills
Every day we engage in social behaviors that have become natural to us. These behaviors have become so ingrained that we take them for granted. We begin to overlook the complex nature of social norms in our society, norms that are difficult for people with autism to recognize. We learn social cues from a young age. Social cues help us understand when it’s our turn to comment, when a conversation ends, how to change the subject, and how to tell if another person is angry, uncomfortable, or sad. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, there are four areas of social skills that are used to assess children for educational and personal goals:
-Basic abilities: These skills include listening, understanding directions, tuning out distractions, and speaking politely.
-Communication skills: These skills include sharing, asking before acting, participating in an activity, and waiting to speak.
-Analysis capacity: These skills include asking for help, apologizing, understanding consequences, making decisions.
-Resolving conflict: These skills include reacting to loss, responding to accusations, feeling left out, and dealing with peer pressure and responding to teasing.
Each of the skills listed above are essential for children to gain independence. People with autism will have a better quality of life as they get older if they pick up some of these social cues. Parents and therapists can work with children in a variety of ways to help them develop these important skills. Various tactics used to help people who lack social skills include modeling, stories, role-playing, and assessment.
Social skills training is a beneficial tool in helping children with autism prepare for school and other social settings. Groups that work with children and encourage them to master all four skills can be understood as children who have autism or include children without autism. These types of groups often include teaching, games, and peer models. Smaller group and individual lessons work best in a natural setting, like home. Children who learn in a typical environment rather than a controlled environment will be better able to translate the skills they learn to different types of environments.
Although children who have autism may struggle against the intricate pattern of social norms in society, they can overcome these struggles through social skills programs. These programs, offered on a group and individual level, will help children become more involved on a social level. This involvement fosters independence and better relationships with peers.