How to Establish Eye Contact With Children With Autism
Autism is a collection of different developmental disorders that all have similar symptoms. The sufferer is often not particularly verbal, and stimuli, both internal and external, can be distracting. A sufferer's propensity to be distracted can discourage others from trying to make and maintain eye contact for long periods of time. Although it is possible to teach those with autism to make and hold eye contact, the process may be frustrating. Better yet, find a way to get their attention so they want to make and maintain eye contact.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Put your face on a level that's equal to that of the autism sufferer. It helps when the sufferer can look straight at you. This method works best when the sufferer is still young, so you may need to squat or sit.
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2
Speak softly and calmly, directing the child to look into your eyes when he talks, specifically when the child asks for something. Draw his eye with a toy, a cookie or some other reward that the child wants by holding it up near your eyes. Putting the reward next to your head helps the child draw the conclusion that to make his wants known, he has to look you in the eye.
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3
Praise the child when he makes eye contact. Speak encouragingly and give the required reward once he has done what you wanted him to do. Over time, the child may become accustomed to interacting with you in this way so that it's just part of his routine in communicating with you.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Establish proper, continual communication. Call the child by name; speak softly but firmly to gain and keep his attention. Use the same set of directions every time so that making eye contact becomes routine.
