Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD– is a known term to many parents who have children with this condition. Dealing with a child having this condition is no easy job. However, with early intervention, right therapy and tailored exercises, parents can let their children learn how to do their daily activities without depending on anyone as well as maintain appropriate behavior in the home, school, and various social settings.
ABA therapy is highly effective for children with ASD. Social stories are a part of ABA therapy for children. Do you know these stories can even help your kids improve their social interaction skills, modify their behaviors and address their emotions in a better way? Parents can interpret these stories to their kids at home outside the therapy session. In this article, we will help parents/caretakers/teachers understand what social stories are, how to craft these stories and how these can help a kid maintain the right behavior.
What are Social Stories?
If we describe social stories in an easier term, we would say, these are like a movie trailer that explains what is about to come. These stories can be an elaboration of various incidents or instances, expressing how one behaves or responds to certain circumstances. Social stories are well-researched autism treatment methods. Here, parents or caretakers should follow a definitive process by collecting various information, exploring different topics and crafting personalized illustrations. These stories should be respectful, gentle, and meet’s child’s needs. In short, reading or listening to these stories helps a child prepare for what’s to come.
What could be the Topics of Social stories?
The subject could be various. For instance, it could be about riding a bus, visiting a dentist or doctor, going to a restaurant, playing in the park, washing hands, etc. Literally, social stories can be anything related to social life. Remember, the stories should not be harsh. They should help kids understand the point of view of the characters displayed in the stories. It goes without saying that any new experience can be triggering for Autistic kids. And that’s why these social stories keep the surprising elements away and make the child more confident about the known facts. A social story can be a physical or e-book and it could include painting or pictures. You can read the story with the child to make him/her comprehend the scenarios along with expected behaviors.
How to Craft Social Stories?
The original concept of social stories was invented by pediatrician Dr. Carol Gray back in the 1990s.
- These social stories are simple narratives or story-based interventions. Below is a very friendly guide that can help you get a better idea of how to build social stories.
- You can craft stories with perspective sentences such as thoughts, beliefs, motivations, opinions, feelings, etc. For example, you can say- my sister loves painting.
- Another thing you could do is craft the story so that it could answer Why questions in the context of events or situations. Make sure these are free from assumptions.
- Next, you can use sentences to determine personal strategies or solutions. For example, you can use sentences like “I need healthy eating to stay healthy”. If you want to reinforce the meaning of the statement, you could further add ”I will try to eat healthy foods because it will take care of my body”.
- You can also use cooperative sentences, such as “ The homework was difficult for her. So, her friends decided to help her finish the task”. This type of sentence can contribute to your child’s understanding of the importance of other people in different situations.
What are the Benefits of Creating Social Stories?
Social stories offer a wide pool of advantages to children with ASD, such as-
- Helps kids understand how to respond appropriately to various events or activities happening in daily life.
- It enhances social interaction skills
- Getting more information about self-care skills
- Learn how to address emotions
- Cope with routine changes
- Learn how to develop relations
- Inclined towards more acceptable behaviors
- Improves their imagination kills and join activities
Bottom Line
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often lack adequate social skills. With social stories, these children can learn and develop the important skills to deal with unfamiliar circumstances in a more relaxed and appropriate behavior manner. What’s great about these stories is that they can be as creative or tailor-made as you need. These stories often lead autistic children to comprehend the world and move through it with ease and confidence.
But, we recommend you consult a prestigious ABA center in Dubai to get guidance. You can simply type- ABA therapy near me and you will get the list of therapeutics clinics along with their highly-experienced ABA specialists.
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