How Occupational Therapy Helps An Autistic Child To Nurture Friendships
January 3, 2023
“Friends”, is a true and pure relationship one desperately long for. In this world, no relationship can surpass the feeling and emotion that one has for a friendship. A normal child finds it easy to socialize with other children around them. But this is not the same case when it comes to autistic children. Occupational therapy is the best remedy for an autistic child to nurture friendships.
Childhood Friend
Every one of us has a list of friends since childhood. Still, the days are memorable ones to cherish. At each stage of growth, we nurture good friendships.
The bond is meant to be everlasting. At first, kids find it hard and are shy to appreciate each other in their social skills.
Starting from playing with the toys, sharing the play date with friends and much more are the
important set of skills of a normal child.
ASD likes to be Isolated
Typically, the autistic child likes to spend time lonely. They don’t appreciate sharing their belongings with others. This is quite natural to observe and it is one of the probable signs of autism.
For an ASD child, “friends” is a phrase that is not found in their bond dictionary. These children don’t easily mingle with other kids. This is due to developmental disability.
Who is named “Autistic Children”
The tag refers to the development delay of a normal child since birth. In most cases, this is due to genetic problems.
Unlike other disorders, ASD can’t be cured during the growth phase of an unborn child. The abnormality of a child can be cured with the continuous practice of physical and emotional training episodes.
How to Identify an ASD Child?
The development delay is the major sign and symptom to look for in an autistic child. Normally, a child tries to speak at least 4 words by the age of 2 to 3. When it comes to an ASD child, by the age of 2 years old, the kid tries to speak just one word.
A normal child keeps good eye contact with the persons to whom the kids are talking. But, an autistic child never keeps eye contact. They hate their playtime. They show no interest to play with other kids.
The developmental delay happens at crawling, talking, and walking, which are to be performed by the kids at defined specific ages. The daily living of a normal child and an autistic child differ to a greater extent.
Why Friends are Important
As years progress, it is much needed to build a strong bond with others. When a person finds it hard to socialize, it leads to a flaw in one’s life.
A child needs to socialize. It is the result of a future relationship. Friends help in nurturing self-esteem and confidence. These are the two key aspects that differentiate a child from others.
The true self of a child starts to project when they are with their friends. It gives a chance for the parents to tune their child’s behaviour and character to become a good and responsible person in the future.
Life of an ASD child
As a responsible parent, you would have done a great job of enrolling your child in Occupational Therapy. And, your child had made a progress in the transformation of growing as a normal child after fighting against autism.
How the days are going to be counted by them? Are therapy classes enough?
After spending many more hours and days with the parents and practitioners, the kid takes a leap step in approaching society with fresh new bonds.
The time to be spent with a stranger won’t be an easy activity for the ASD child. Therapy aids in the development of emotional intelligence and to look after their daily living activities.
Friends and ASD Children
Friends have a vital role in the life of an autistic child. They are the ones who seed a lovely character in the hearts of a normal child(autistic).
Friends are the first circle of networks that comfort a child to express their feelings and emotions.
Socialization skills are determined by how well a child gets along with other normal children. The bond of friendship greatly aids them in the development of social skills.
Their bond helps them in erasing the memories of being an abnormal child that they had undergone in their past life.
Occupational Therapy and Friendship
Occupational Therapy assists the autistic child to fight autism with courage. Approaching and befriending a child will be the first stereotype broken with the help of OT.
When the constrain for social interaction are broken, the child will groom as a normal child in the coming days. OT and friendship have a direct connection in the growth phase of an ASD child.
They are interconnected and the imbalance will make an ASD child lose friendships.
The therapy session includes how to express their emotions, handle their anxieties, have a healthy touch with others, and share their belongings with others to build a strong bond.
The Bottom Line
There is a wise saying, “you are identified as a person depending on your friends’ circle”. A friend is the one who moulds you to be a person of character. Most importantly, social skills rely on how well keeps up with friends. And, for an autistic child, it is way too important to gain friendships to nurture as normal adults in the future. If you are a parent of an autistic child and aiming to aid your kid to grow as a normal person, Occupational Therapy will be the best call to make. Buds to Blossom have the best OTs in the town to take care of and assist your autistic child. For more information, please visit Buds to Blossom
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