Social interaction is something that we take for granted. We believe that it should
develop effortlessly. Social interaction involves skills like good eye contact, being able to
share a book, a game or even a joke with one or more people. It is the ability to know
how to speak or respond when someone speaks to you and also the ability to keep the
conversation going and to know when to be quiet and listen. Young children with Autism
often find social interaction very difficult for a number of reasons:

• They may not understand what is being said or what is going on around them
• They may not know how to respond to you or others
• They may find the sensory experience of someone looking and speaking at them
  overwhelming

Rules for Easy Interaction

To help your child learn to interact more often and for longer with you, you must first
help him to pay attention to you.
Get down to his level and be face to face with him

Imitate the sounds and actions he makes

Keep your language short

Use an animated and lively tone of voice

Bring objects or toys closer to your face

Always include his interests. If you watch your child play you will see what interests
him the most about the toys and objects around him and he will show you how he likes
to play with these things.

Try to join in with him by: -

• Following his lead
• Doing what he does
• Handing him more of the same objects to play with, one at a time
• Hiding little toys or objects where he can find them, in your hand, up your sleeve etc.

Make a list of what motivates your child to interact with you.

Better eye contact

For children at all stages of development, eye contact may not be a strength. Help him
to make better eye contact by changing the way you interact with him. Always aim to
be in a face to face position so your child can look at your face without any effort. This
will encourage better eye contact. Bring the object he is interested in closer to your face
so that you draw his eyes towards your face. Wait a few seconds longer before you
continue a fun social game. In this way your child may make fleeting eye contact with
you as he tries to work out what’s next. Avoid using very direct statements such as ‘look
at me’ unless saying this is really necessary to get your child’s full attention. Eye
contact is a skill, which we have acquired without ever being aware of it. We should
aim to teach our children the rules of interaction in the most natural way.

Example:-
Holly at the beginning of her Keyhole® Therapy, never intentionally made eye contact.
However, the first day bubbles were brought out Holly was fascinated and was really
motivated to see more and more bubbles being blown. The first few times her mum
blew bubbles, Holly would stare intently at the container and then at the bubbles as
they floated about her. After a few turns her mum started to wait a little bit longer
before blowing more bubbles and Holly began to look for just a second to make fleeting
eye contact with her mum. Holly’s mum was delighted and very quickly blew more
bubbles to encourage Holly. Holly played this game and other repetitive social games
with her Mum and Dad and gradually she used eye contact to request more turns and to
share the fun of the game with the adults who played with her.

Help Him Take Turns

Children with Autism need to learn to respond to your interactions and also how to
respond back. We expect children to take turns by looking at you, smiling, making a
sound or body movement. Help your child take turns in a fun interaction by doing what
Holly’s mum did. Use a repetitive game where your child will have lots of opportunities
to learn how to take a turn.

Using nursery rhymes and songs at this stage will also help your child learn to imitate
and take turns with you. Teach your child the songs and actions. Sing the songs with
your child on your knee. At the end of each line in the song, stop and wait, see if your
child will take his turn. As your child becomes more familiar with the words he may
make a sound or word to take his turn.

As long as you are having fun your child should find it easy to continue with the
interactive game.

All children, even if they have speech, will benefit from these repetitive games. Some
children with speech do not necessarily understand the social rules of communication.
These games will help.

Encouraging Interaction with other children

Your child will learn to interact with adults first and then with other children when he is
ready. You can encourage his interest in this by providing opportunities for him to be
around other children. Taking him along to a parent and toddlers group or a small
playground is a good place to start, or inviting friends to your house. Start with short
periods of time.

To begin with all you should aim for with your child is:

• To tolerate being around other children
• To watch other children
• To play beside other children if he wants. It is not a good idea to force this until
  your child is ready

Top Tips For Better Interaction

• Engage your child’s attention
• Include activities he finds motivating
• Use simple language
• Imitate what he says or does
• Make comments
• Keep questions simple
• Allow time for a response
• Let him take his turn in his own way
• Look expectant with exaggerated facial expression to signal it’s his turn
• Use nursery rhymes and action songs to encourage interaction
• Use books when your child is ready to encourage more interaction
• Encourage your child to be with other children
• Use a turn taking card or object to help your child learn to share and take turns