You can ask your child, “What makes your angry face different from your happy face?” Use a mirror or take photos so your child can see their expression.Īnger and fear are two emotions that children with autism have a hard time recognizing even as they grow older. Then ask your child to show you their happy face, angry face, etc. While reading a book together, ask your child to point out characters that are feeling certain emotions.For example, if your child says two characters look happy, help them brainstorm other words for happy such as joyful or calm. Try identifying the same emotion multiple times by using synonyms. Point out various facial expressions and ask your child how the character might be feeling. Try watching a movie together without the sound.SEL can help children understand how to recognize facial expressions (for example, whether to pay more attention to certain areas of the face than others) as well as develop the vocabulary to express what they are feeling. As a result, everyday interactions can be difficult because not everyone will understand what these expressions or lack of expressions mean. Past studies have shown that children (and adults) with autism have a more difficult time both recognizing facial expressions and displaying expressions to match “social expectations.” The expressions they choose to use instead might not match what they’re actually feeling, or might not express a particular feeling at all. Reading and Displaying Facial Expressions With fewer opportunities for social interactions during this pandemic, here are some visual and engaging activities you can try with your child at home. Social emotional learning (SEL) can help these children develop an awareness of emotions, build social relationships, and make responsible decisions. Yet skills such as shared attention (focusing on something together), social referencing (using cues from others to know how to behave), mutual engagement (doing things together), and social anticipation (predicting future interactions) can be quite complex for children on the spectrum.Īccording to CDC estimates, one in 54 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with four times more boys affected than girls. In addition, engaging in social interactions can be complex, as they often work harder to integrate tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, and timing.Īs soon as they start kindergarten, children are expected to know how to take turns, share space, share materials, and play collaboratively. Children with autism have a harder time with this development, which means they can have a difficult time understanding and regulating their own emotions. Then they continue to develop empathy and relationship building skills as they grow. Most children begin emotional development from birth by learning to express emotions and read facial expressions.
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