When experts write about how to help autistic kids, especially those with Level 1 or “high-functioning” autism, the most common piece of advice is to help them get along with other people. This goal can’t be reached just by going to a psychologist. When clinicians use social role-playing videos to help kids with autism, the kids can get bored quickly. Other common methods, like direct training in social skills, joining a social group, or learning how to talk to people, aren’t as effective.
Almost all kids, especially those with autism, are happy to watch the same movie more than once. Using a favorite movie as the main way to see how good social skills work is likely to lead to more learning.
Since there are many movies about autism to choose from, the same skill can be practiced in many different ways. This can help kids understand that a skill is useful in many different situations.
Even just watching movies with autistic characters can be a good way to improve social skills, so it’s likely that there will be some benefit even if the movies aren’t being used to improve social skills. And yet make sure your child doesn’t watch films that misrepresent autism.
Is TV good for autism?
Children on the autism spectrum do need a lot of therapeutic interaction, that’s true. In fact, many experts on therapy recommend a few hours of therapy every day, which is often given by parents or guardians. In fact, watching autism based movies can help both parents and autistic children if they are watched in small amounts and carefully chosen. Contrary to what a now-debunked 2006 study said, even a lot of TV doesn’t cause autism. Of course, too much TV can make it hard for a child to find time to do anything else!
Children with autism learn best through hearing and seeing.
People with autism often learn best through seeing and hearing, not through words. When kids watch TV and videos that have been carefully chosen, they can learn things and gain skills that they can use at school or in the community. A child can learn a lot from TV, whether it’s a PBS show meant to teach phonics or a National Geographic show about birds. You can also order and use videos from places like Model Me Kids, which makes videos for autistic children, that are made to teach skills and ideas.
Back in the bad old days, kids would watch whatever was playing. Today, parents and guardians have a lot of power over what their children watch. Parents or guardians with autism can use this control to their and their child‘s benefit by choosing the shows their kids watch, watching them with them, and adding real-world experiences to what they learn from movies of autism. Here are some ways to help your child get the most out of their time:
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Choose the videos or streaming options yourself, and use parental controls to make sure your child doesn’t see something you don’t want them to.
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Check out anything a child will be watching to make sure it’s okay with you.
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Watch together as often as you can. When it’s time to ask questions or do something else with the child in your care, stop the video or stream.
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If the child in your care gets “stuck” on a show or episode, use that show as a reward for good behavior or accomplishments (you may watch X show as soon as you finish putting away your toys).
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Find ways to use your child‘s tastes to help them try new places or things in the real world.
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Make a autism movies list.
Why do autistic kids watch the same movie over and over?
A lot of autistic children watch the same video over and over again. The question is whether you should let your autistic child watch the same video over and over.
Most likely, they are using that part of the video to learn how to talk or as a “touchstone” to help them deal with all the sensory information around them.
You can use that activity to get interested in other things. It might seem strange at first, but once you figure out why your child with autism likes to watch the same movie over and over again, you’ll know how to help them grow.
So the next time they keep watching the same thing, sit with them, act like you’re interested in what they’re doing, and ask them to show you what part of the video they’re watching.
What movies do autistic children like?
Some autism related movies few characters are more interesting to me because they are easier to relate to and understand. This is because their body language is more exaggerated than normal body language, which makes it easier to figure out what they are thinking. If your child likes these kinds of characters, I can suggest a few movies about people with autism from different eras that they will love.
