Social Skills

So there is a propensity for isolation with a child with autism because they don't always have as many friends as a typically developing child or they may not be as willing to go out and to engage in a social situation. So we've dealt with it in a few ways. In some ways, we're still trying to find our way. One is we don't pull any punches. We're signing up for soccer. We're signing up for baseball. We're in Cub Scouts. We're doing the things that typically developing children are doing, the peers at school. And so we're showing up. And we think just showing up helps us get part of the way there. That doesn't mean, necessarily, that his skills are going to be the same as all of his peers, certainly, as the case for me, in Little League. But we're giving him an opportunity to engage. And then there are other times when, for example, his sisters have play dates or they're going to a sleep over. And he's at home. And he doesn't have a play date. He doesn't have a sleep over. And he's sad about it. And so are we. And that's hard. So it's tough to see how being on the spectrum can isolate your child. And as a parent, it's the last thing you want to see. So I'll just say it's hard and be prepared for that. But also, don't pull punches when it comes to signing up for things or going to the events where there are opportunities for that child to engage. Give them every opportunity possible. Help facilitate to the extent that it makes sense. And a lot of times magic happens.