That's part of the reason approximately 52 percent of kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) don't have many friends at school. But kids who have autism, just like all kids, benefit from having friends in their peer groups. Don't worry, there are steps you can take to support your child in making a new friend.
Social interactions can be baffling for people that are autistic. They may become easily overwhelmed or frustrated when they try to develop and sustain friendships. Making friends can be frightening, confusing and anxiety-provoking for autistic young people.
A recent study in the Journal of Autism, reported that teenagers and adults who have a diagnosis of autism may be less likely to suffer from depression and/or anxiety if they have friends. Having friends just appears to make our lives better!
“Nothing is impossible in terms of friendships for people with autism,” Lerner says, “but it does perhaps take a different route.” Social connection is a powerful predictor of long-term physical and mental health.
Autistic children value play with their peers and many are able to play with each other. However, they may communicate more visually and with their hands, rather than in the more verbal way of other children. They may need different facilitation strategies and more support than their neurotypical peers.
Some people on the autism spectrum may seek social opportunities and may initiate social interactions themselves, others may enjoy social situations and interactions when they are initiated effectively by others.
Children with autism may seem unaware of other children. They may appear to be unable to learn new play skills through observation or communication. Here are some differences to watch for: A preference for playing alone almost all the time.
Children with an ASD are not vigilant and do not look up to the caregiver for social referencing. They may not cling to the caregiver, although go up to them for succor. However, some cling to the caregiver because of extreme anxiety.
If the development of equal sharing is underpinned by social norms and awareness of others' mental states, we may expect to observe qualitative differences in ASD. Children with ASD show diminished social motivation and experience difficulties interacting with others (APA 2013; Chevallier et al. 2012).
While it is true that autistic people often have a harder time reading social cues, this does not necessarily demonstrate lack of empathy. This research has resulted in the significant conclusion that people living with autism do not care, and consequently lack a fundamental aspect of being a compassionate human.
But the fact that autistic children do not interact with the world in the same way that neurotypical children do does not mean they are unable to form bonds. It simply means they find a different way to do so.
Children with ASD have trouble relating to other people. They have trouble making eye contact. They often withdraw into themselves. They may seem uninterested in relating to family members.
There are other brain disorders that mimic autism symptoms, like ADHD and anxiety disorders, including selective mutism. Autism can be misdiagnosed as another disorder with some shared symptoms.
Forced socialization, much like forced therapy, creates a roadblock that inhibits natural communication and development. It creates stress and anxiety, and it promotes the thought that a child (or any person) must change to fit in. It becomes painful and overwhelming and can lead to poor mental health.
A child with ASD can be challenging—they may be restless; have trouble sleeping, eating or speaking; experience seizures; or have meltdowns born of frustration or overstimulation. Expectations for a “normal” life may need to be adjusted.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
Sensory Issues
Many people with autism experience sensory processing disorder. This is more commonly known as sensory overload. Noise, crowds, bright lights, strong tastes, smells, and being touched can feel unbearable to someone with HFA. This makes going to restaurants, movies, and shopping malls difficult.
Individuals with autism can also have an aversion to touch. Touch can cause a lack of emotional response or may even cause emotional stress and turmoil.
Jealousy is a tough emotion to deal with because it may not appear as jealousy when it surfaces. Jealousy in children with autism and their siblings may look different. For their siblings, jealousy can appear as anger or deep sadness and retreat from a typically developing sibling.
Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment
This trait can occur in autism because autistics tend to make friends and lose them repeatedly. However, unlike in BPD, the issue of abandonment may be a reality for autistics because while we may be able to make friends, maintaining them is difficult.
Most prefer bland foods, although there are notable exceptions: One child reportedly likes raw lemons; another consumes ground pepper by the spoonful. Nearly half of the children are sensitive to certain textures.
Science fiction and fantasy are often of great interest to autistic people. Depending on their interest levels and abilities, people on the spectrum may learn every detail of a particular "universe," write their own stories, watch and rewatch movies, read comics, attend conventions, or even make their own costumes.
Children on the autism spectrum often keep crying as long as it seems to work for them. When it doesn't, they eventually quit. If they are upset about something, we want them to learn to handle their feelings in more powerful ways.