How Kids With Autism Adjust to New People

Although a child with autism spectrum disorder generally has no trouble interacting with familiar adults and other family members, meeting a new person -- child or adult -- can be frustrating and hard at first. Social interactions are often difficult for kids with ASD. Some are withdrawn and not interested in other people or what they do. Others want to interact with peers and adults but don̵7;t know how they are supposed to behave in certain circumstances and need help building their social skills.

  1. The Problem

    • Kids with ASD often have trouble adjusting to new social settings, meeting new people. They can have difficulty interpreting facial expressions, body language and other social cues, which makes it hard to understand what other people are thinking and feeling. But interventions such as behavioral therapies help children with autism develop better social and language skills. Improved communication skills can help a child with ASD feel more comfortable around other people, notes the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. As a result, the child becomes more social.

    Developing Friendships

    • Because of impaired social skills, children with ASD normally have difficulty making friends. In fact, many have trouble interacting with their peers in general. Although friendships don̵7;t come easily, having friends helps them develop their social skills. Raising Children Network suggests helping your child build friendships by involving him in activities that offer opportunities to meet new people. Invite other children his age to your home to play. Join a play group or plan a play date at a playground or park. Keep the group small so your child doesn̵7;t feel overwhelmed. You might even start with one-on-one peer interaction. In time, playing with other kids can help him learn how to act as he observes their behavior and begins to copy what they do.

    Shared Interests

    • By observing your child, you can recognize her strengths and know what kinds of activities she prefers. Prepared with this knowledge, you can create opportunities for her to meet other children who share similar interests. When she can do activities with another child that they both enjoy, she'll find other people who are around at the time less distracting. Having fun also gets your youngster engaged and might encourage her to participate in more shared play experiences in the future.

    Preparation

    • Prepare your child before introducing him to someone new. Before meeting someone he doesn̵7;t know, show him pictures of the person so he knows a little of what to expect beforehand, suggests the UK̵7;s National Autism Society. Photographs show him what the person looks like so the face will be a bit familiar when they meet. You can also use social stories that address meeting new people. Social stories can be especially helpful for explaining changes that a child might find upsetting. Stories relating to a specific circumstance, including meeting someone new, describe what your child can expect in that circumstance and how he is expected to act.

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