April 2012

Social relationships can be difficult for any child. Cliques, "frenemies," and the "one-day-you’re-in-the-next-day-you're-out" revolving door of friendships is a common occurrence on the playground and in school halls. Yet while many students learn to navigate the tricky social waters at school relatively painlessly, others have a much harder time of it. For some kids, social skills are not intuitive, and their lack of social dexterity can result in misunderstandings, lost opportunities, and isolation. Students on the autism spectrum, for example, often lag behind their peers in social skills development, which can make their learning environment even more fraught with challenges.