| Autism social skills greatly affect the behavior of | | | | typical framework of our social settings that is |
| autistic individuals in social settings. Autism itself | | | | creating obstacles for them. These children with |
| can create problems for individuals in their speech, | | | | autism social skills often suffer from increased |
| language, or behavior. For some with autism, | | | | anxiety when they have to speak with others or |
| language may be delayed, speech may be difficult | | | | discuss something in class. This type of anxiety |
| for them, and there are often other behaviors | | | | can be overpowering to the children and often |
| noted such as hand flapping or head banging. | | | | leads to even more pronounced inhibitions on their |
| A person's symptoms will depend on many | | | | part. |
| factors. For some individuals the effects of autism | | | | Most people figure out what creates unbearable |
| may result in less obvious problems, they may | | | | stress and we try to avoid situations that create |
| speak normally and may exhibit wonderful | | | | high levels of stress. For people with autism |
| mastery of language. It may only be in social | | | | almost every social setting can be fraught with |
| behaviors that the extent of their autism is truly | | | | these very stressors. This means that many of |
| noted. | | | | them will try to avoid the problem of stress by |
| Children who have autism and autism spectrum | | | | avoiding all social activity. |
| disorders (ASD) have problems in most of their | | | | When a child continually avoids social encounters, |
| social interactions. This is difficult for the children | | | | they are also foregoing the opportunity to acquire |
| and for the parents who want their kids to be | | | | social interaction skills. With some autistic |
| integrated into many different social settings. Even | | | | individuals, social skill deficits will then lead to |
| though these children have some great qualities to | | | | negative interactions with their peers. Many of |
| offer to the world and other people, their autism | | | | these children are met with rejection and they |
| social skills often holds them back and some of | | | | suffer from isolation, anxiety, and depression. |
| these kids may never learn to develop true | | | | Having a way to help children learn social skills and |
| friendships. The autism prevents them from | | | | actually be taught how to make friends and |
| assimilating the normal, fluent "give and take" | | | | create friendships will help. Parents and teachers |
| behaviors of conversation in a regular, everyday | | | | need to teach these skills, not just address them |
| setting. | | | | with words, and then they must make certain |
| For most people interacting with others, making | | | | that there are peers around who will accept and |
| friends and developing relationships all happen | | | | understand these overtures from autistic |
| effortlessly. Children with autism social skills suffer | | | | individuals. Through more social interaction with |
| utter failure with many of their attempts at any | | | | teaching and environmental modification, these |
| social skills. They truly do not understand what | | | | children will begin to gradually learn the same social |
| they are supposed to do or say and they are | | | | skills that most people take for granted. |
| hurt when their attempts at being part of a group | | | | The best way to help people with autism social |
| are met with failure or ridicule. With autistic | | | | skills is to recognize the problem they are having |
| children part of the problem lies with their own | | | | and gradually introduce them to social settings, |
| deficits such as avoiding eye contact, lack of | | | | very small groups at the start, teaching them |
| empathy or a diminished ability to infer what is of | | | | that they have nothing to fear. Over time, the |
| interest to others. | | | | size of the group and the length of the social |
| Some people think that these children are not | | | | setting can increase as their confidence grows, |
| interested in interacting with others, but this is not | | | | but it is something that cannot be rushed or |
| true. It is just their inability to work within the | | | | forced. |