Raising autistic children involves unique challenges, particularly when developing social skills. Experts recommend practical, engaging activities to help your child thrive socially and emotionally.
Raising autistic children could be daunting. It requires love, care, and patience. Contrary to misconceptions that autistic children are antisocial, they often desire friendships but may lack adequate communication skills to interact effectively with their neurotypical peers.
Chiamaka Osochi Unagha, a Special Needs Therapist who works with autistic children, emphasises the importance of early social skill development. “Isolating them from social interaction will prevent them from knowing how to engage with people when they encounter them in public,” she says.
Common social challenges for autistic children
Many children with autism struggle with speech delays, difficulty reading non-verbal cues, echolalia (repeating others’ words and phrases), challenges with conversational exchanges, difficulty understanding humour or sarcasm, as well as trouble recognising and interpreting others’ emotions.
Despite these challenges, Unagha notes that parents can significantly help their children develop crucial social skills at home. “Teaching any child starts from the immediate environment, which is the home,” she advises.
READ ALSO: World Autism Day: What every Nigerian should know
Essential social skills autistic children should learn
To form friendships and engage socially, autistic children need vital skills, including:
●Play skills (sharing toys and other play materials)
●Understanding personal space and appropriate body language
●Knowing when and what to say
●Emotional regulation and recognising others’ emotions
●Conflict resolution
●Decision-making
Before tackling social skills, autistic children should first be introduced to sensory awareness beyond the five common senses. These include proprioception (body awareness), equilibrioception (balance), and interoception (internal sensations).
Familiarity with these senses can help ease social interactions.
Engaging activities to improve social skills
Parents and caregivers can incorporate the following practical activities into their autistic child’s daily routine, adapted to suit their developmental stage.
Act it out (role-playing)
Children, including those with autism, learn best through imitation. Role-playing and pretend-play are effective ways to teach social interactions. For example, using a toy doctor’s kit to demonstrate caring for a teddy bear — bandaging it, taking its temperature, and rocking it to sleep — helps children grasp social and nurturing behaviours. Demonstrating actions, rather than giving instructions, encourages imaginative and interactive play.
Turn-taking games
Turn-taking teaches reciprocity and sharing, skills many autistic children find challenging. Simple activities like passing a ball or playing board games reinforce this concept. Clearly stating, “Your turn!” or “My turn!” can demonstrate that play can be cooperative and enjoyable.
Recognising and responding to emotions
Autistic children may find it challenging to identify emotions in themselves and others. Videos and social stories effectively demonstrate appropriate behaviour, such as greetings, gratitude, and personal space. Television shows like Sesame Street also model positive interactions, helping children understand emotional cues and social expectations.
Personal space awareness with hula hoops
Some autistic children struggle with personal boundaries, often standing too close or touching inappropriately. Using hula hoops is a fun way to teach spatial awareness.
●Place two hula hoops on the ground, one for the child and one for the parent.
●Explain clearly: the hoops represent “your space” and “my space.”
●Encourage the child to remain within their space unless invited into someone else’s (e.g., “Would you like a hug?”).
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Reading and arts & crafts
Reading developmentally appropriate books based on an autistic child’s cognitive level rather than chronological age can enhance comprehension, empathy, and communication skills. Many autistic children enjoy repetitive activities, making arts and crafts particularly beneficial for developing coordination, recognition, and social interaction in a group setting.
Additional activities for social development
Other recommended activities for social development include:
Music therapy: This encourages self-expression, coordination, and participation in group activities.
Sports and physical activities: Swimming or martial arts teach cooperation, discipline, and teamwork.
Group therapy or social skills classes: They provide structured settings for children to practise interaction under supervision.
Community support for parents
Unagha advises parents and guardians of autistic children to join support groups or associations. These communities offer valuable resources, firsthand experience, and emotional support, making it easier to navigate autism’s complexities.
READ ALSO: World Autism Day: What every Nigerian should know
Autism remains a topic that has not received the awareness and education it deserves in Nigeria. As we mark World Autism Awareness Day, it is crucial to foster positive attitudes towards individuals with autism.
Autism is not a sign of incompetence, and as Chiamaka Unagha states, “It doesn’t have a face.” Referring to a child as “autistic” can sometimes be unintentionally offensive. Instead, recognising and nurturing their unique strengths can create a more inclusive and understanding society.
