Social Skills Archives - The Ed Psych Practice Blog

What Does ‘Inattentive’ ADHD Mean For Your Teenage Daughter?

December 9, 2022 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Adolescent Girls, Emotional Development, Executive Functioning, Inattention, Inattentive ADHD, Social Skills, Therapy and Coaching, Working Memory

Takeaway: Teenage girls with an ‘inattentive’ ADHD diagnosis can often mask their difficulties so well that parents and teachers overlook their struggles. And this can worsen their practical, emotional, and social challenges – destroying their self-confidence and resilience. Thankfully, the right therapist can help you find simple solutions to most of these problems and teach your child to develop her strengths, adapt to her weaknesses, and develop a support network that understands her needs. Read More

Are Social Media & Technology Really That Bad for Teens?

December 17, 2021 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Adolescents Mental Health, Anxiety, Cognitive Skills, Communication, Peer Pressure, Sleep, Social Media, Social Skills

are social media and technology really that bad for teens

Takeaway: Social media and technology aren’t ‘all good’ or ‘all bad.’ And recognising this nuance makes it easier to harness their positives and sidestep their negatives. The trick is to pay attention to your teen’s needs and behaviour. When children overuse social media, games, and online activities, it’s often because they’re struggling emotionally. So, spotting and addressing your child’s stressors will do more good than battling her about screen time. Read More

Why Autism Makes It Harder For Your Child to Make Friends

August 6, 2021 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Anxiety, ASD, friendships, Modelling Behaviours, Non Verbal Behaviour, Social Communication, Social Differences, Social Groups, Social Skills

Takeaway: Children with autism struggle to communicate and make friends, but with the help of a specialist, you can help your child learn the skills she needs to socialise and fit in better. Read More

Do More Boys Have Autism Than Girls?

July 28, 2021 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ASD, Behaviour Problems, Developmental Conditions, friendships, Genes, Masking, Misdiagnosis, Sensory Needs, Social Skills

Takeaway: More boys than girls are diagnosed with autism, but does that mean autism primarily affects boys? Recent research shows that while there are indeed gender differences with autism, there’s another factor at play. Often, fewer girls are diagnosed because they’re better at covering up their autistic traits and blending in. But thankfully, as autism testing improves, we’re able to spot and help more of these overlooked children. Read More

The Curious Link Between Autism and Learning Difficulties

July 1, 2021 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ASD, Attention Issues, Communication, Confidence, Educational Psychologist, Executive Functioning, Learning Difficulties, Sensory Processing Issues, Social Skills

Takeaway: Both autism and learning difficulties arise from brains that are ‘wired’ differently. This difference makes it harder to prioritise tasks and focus on the right thing for long enough. But interestingly, there’s also a social component to learning which autism affects. A trained specialist can help your child tackle these issues, but in the meantime, don’t forget your child also has strengths and passions. Encourage her to celebrate these and it’ll balance out a lot of the other frustrations she experiences. Read More

What Are Social Communication Difficulties?

May 18, 2021 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals ASD, Co-occurring Difficulties, Paediatricians, Social Communication, Social Cues, Social Situations, Social Skills, Speech & Language Therapist, Verbal and Non-verbal Interactions

Takeaway: ‘Social communication’ means knowing how to read social cues and changing our communication style accordingly. Children with social communication difficulties (SCD) have problems reading body language, facial expression, tone of voice, etc., making it harder for them to fit in and connect with others. But a psychologist or speech & language therapist can help them develop these skills. Read More

How Do You Diagnose a Global Developmental Delay?

February 20, 2021 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Referrals Cognitive Skills, Daily Living Activities, Developmental Delays, Developmental Milestones, Early Detection, Early Intervention, Learning Difficulties, Paediatricians, Social Skills, Speech & Language Skills

Takeaway: Children with a global developmental delay are well behind in meeting many developmental milestones. These include milestones to do with (1) cognitive skills, (2) motor skills, (3) language & communication skills, (4) social and emotional skills, and (5) self-care skills. You can download milestone checklists to try and identify a global delay, but that’s just a first step. Eventually, you’ll need a team of specialists to make the diagnosis and create a care plan. Read More

Supporting emotional needs of children with learning difficulties

July 11, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Mental Health Emotional Needs, Learning Difficulties, Mental Health, Relationship Building, Responsible Decision-making, Self Discipline, self-awareness, Social Skills, Supportive

The Most Helpful Type of Comfort to Offer a Child with Learning Difficulties

Takeaway: Children with learning difficulties often think of themselves as being ‘stupid’, which stirs up a storm of frustration, anger, stress, and sadness. But with the right set of social and emotional coping skills, they can craft a new life and rebuild their self-esteem. So, support your child by teaching her the essential skills of (1) Self-awareness, (2) Social awareness, (3) Responsible decision making, (5) Self-discipline, and (6) Relationship building.
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How to Help Your Child Practise Social Skills During a Lockdown

May 5, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Social Skills Children, Lockdown, Skill Development, Social Skills

child social skills development in lockdown

Takeaway: Don’t want to let your child’s social skills waste away? You can keep her socially engaged by playing games and teaching her lessons even when she’s at home. Just learn which skills to encourage, which to discourage, and how to find teaching moments while talking and playing games. Read More

Occupational Therapy: How to Help Your Child Be More Independent, Confident, & Adaptable

April 6, 2020 The Ed Psych Practice No Comments Learning Difficulties Confidence Building, Daily Activities, Development, Gross Motor Skills, Learning, Occupational Therapy, Social Skills

occupational therapy help child be more independent confident adaptable

Takeaway: Children have occupations (i.e., daily tasks) which they take pride in doing. And when they need help with these, an occupational therapist can step in to assess the problem and teach them exercises to improve specific skill sets. Practise is vital, so the trick is to make the exercises a part of your child’s daily routine and keep them game-like. Read More

Tag: Social Skills