Kids with Autism often struggle with making eye contact, especially when they try to communicate. Eye contact is crucial for speech development because it helps children learn how to understand facial expressions and body language, which is vital when someone is talking to them.
Kids with Autism also struggle to sustain eye contact while communicating because it can cause sensory overload and stress them out.
In our previous blog, we talked about Why children with Autism avoid making eye contact and what problems indicate these issues. Let’s understand how you can help children with Autism with speech and eye contact.
Here are some helpful strategies:
Practice Eye Contact During Meals.
Feeding is a great way to make eye contact with your autistic child. Use a spoonful of food and pretend it’s an aeroplane, ship, or tiger, adding animated sound effects like – “Here comes the bike – Vrooooooommmmm vroom vroom and it’s going to get you” to get their attention. Kids enjoy it when you make eating fun!
Reduce Distractions When Communicating with Your Child.
Make sure only relevant and fewer things are present in the room. Too many distractions can stimulate your child and will hinder you from getting their attention. Engage in their play when they are calm to get their attention effectively.
Provide Your Child With a Reason to Look at You.
Use a fun game or activity to capture their interest, and provide instructions for participation. Begin with an object to ease them into looking at your face, and gradually progress to direct eye contact. Make sure your child isn’t overwhelmed, and take small steps towards progress.
Encourage Communication by Asking Questions and Waiting for Responses.
Start with simple questions about their interests, such as: “Where are your eyes?” or “Do you like this colour?” These gestures must be used by your child as a first step toward language development and a better understanding of concepts.
Want to improve speech? Find more tips here – 7 Speech-Language Therapy Activities For Your Child
Paint Your Face or Use Animal Face Masks.
Use skin-friendly, washable paint, and avoid the colour red! Have a fun face-painting session with your child. You can paint their face, and they can paint yours. It will allow physical proximity and hence, some happy eye contact time. If paint isn’t suitable, playful animal masks can serve the same purpose.
Know more eye contact activities – Eye Contact – How To Improve Eye Contact In Autism?
You can take these steps to help your child with Autism improve their speech and eye contact. For more information, consult our experts – https://momsbelief.com/ – and explore our skill-boosting programs.
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