Why doesn't my child know how to act around people? Have you ever asked this question? I know my mother has, and it is a question that a lot of parents ask when it comes to their autistic child. So what's the answer? Simply, we don't know how. There is something wired oddly in our brains that makes it really difficult to relate to people. I myself relate really well to people at least ten years older than I am, and yet when it comes to people my own age and children, I get squirmy and awkward and really don't know what to say or how to act. I attend the college group at my church and I am always afraid that I'm going to say or do something wrong because I don't know what "appropriate" is in that situation. Its not that I don't know in my head what I should do, it's that there is something there that prevents me from implementing it. Whether it's fear, misunderstanding, or just a blank space in my brain, the capability to know how to act properly is not there. So what should one do to learn how to act properly? Throw themselves in and just do it. Someone with any mental disability can psych themselves up all they want, but until they do it it'll never get done. For me it was the college group. I emailed the leader about ten times before I finally just said "okay, time to get on it. I can't be afraid anymore." For a child or adolescent that is not capable of selfdecision, the overseeing adult should put the child in situations where they will learn to interact. It is a valuable skill that will serve them in life. The exception to this is if the child or adolescent is a danger to themself or others. If they are they need to be cleared by a physician before being in any social situation because then it is less likely that something will happen. However, as with any child with disabilities, unpredictability is predictable. Just be careful to know your child before you put them in an uncomfortable situation.
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