How to help autistic kids make friends

People with autism usually lack of social skills. Makinganything, but you can set some limits for the Do and
friends could be a really tough mission for autisticDon’ts.
children, because they always avoid looking at othersSome children with autism like to make friends with
in the eye, repeat the words they said a lot to drivegrown-ups. It’s normal. Typically developing children
people crazy, and they often choose to be alone as itcan also feel anxious about socialising with strangers,
is hard for them to get used to strangers. Here’sfor autistic kids, you are going to need a lot of
some tips for teaching kids with autism topatience, but it will be worth it.
communicate.There have been a lot of chemicals and other stuff
If your child is going to a school, you could talk to thewhich were blamed for triggering autism, like pesticides,
teacher to get the information that who in their class ispitocin, alcohol, wifi, sleep apnea and so on. Recently,
close to your child. Then, you can invite him/her to yourstudies that focus on the connections between genes
home to play with your child, or, you can encourageand environmental factors have suggested that the
your kid to ask this child if she/he is available on thatcause of autism may link to pet shampoo, according to
day, and if your kid can do this, buy him/her a gift for athe results presented at the International Meeting for
reward. Think of some good games or activities forAutism Research in London.
autistic children to play with.There is this particular insecticide called pyrethrins in
Here’s someting to notice, which is, don’t invitesome kind of pet shampoos that is being considered
too much children to your place once a time, one at athe cause of autism this time. It is reported that families
time is better, it’s easier for your kid to deal withwith autistic kids were twice as likely using pet
and get used to. You can stay with them for a whileshampoos with pyrethrins as those with normal
and be a role model of how to make friends.children. And, if the mother used the shampoo during
However, most of the time, you should leave themthe forth and sixth month while pregnancy, the risk of
alone to play with toys together unless somethingthe baby having autism will be the greatest. The above
happens.conclusions were based on survey results of 333
If your child is homeschooling, then she/he could makeautistic children and 198 healthy children.
friends with kids in the neighborhood, cousins, or siblings.“Autism is associated with an imbalance between
First, ask some child to play nearby, so your child willexcitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters within the
accept that there’s someone playing at his/herbrain, and one could hypothesise that children with an
place. Then, you can try to play with this kid yourself toimbalance in this system may be more sensitive to the
make a good example to your kid. So you can inviteeffects of pyrethrins,” says Isaac Pessah at UC
him/her to play along. Please notice that, all of thisDavis, who was also involved in the study.
should happen naturally, don’t force the child to do