Intended for All Audiences

This website is for anyone looking for more information about interacting with children on the spectrum, with particular focus on middle childhood, ages 6-12. Viewers who might get the most from this website include parents with newly diagnosed children, teachers with autistic students in their classroom, friends, siblings, and more.  Please Note: This website is for information purposes only and is not to be used for diagnosis or treatment of ASD.

Development during the middle childhood years can greatly contributes toward the adolescent and adult they will become (www.gov.mb.ca). They begin to make friends and spend time away from home, parents begin to leave them alone for longer periods of time, they start to take responsibility for chores at home, and they increase their activities outside of the home, which leads them to understand and tell time and follow schedules. Children in this age group start to control and correct their own behavior and actions as they become more observant of their adult role models, and friend groups grow and diversify. At the same time, schoolwork becomes more formal and demanding. They join athletic teams and social skills are learned and tested constantly throughout the day (Broderick, P.C. & Blewitt, P. 2019).

Yet what happens when a child develops differently? Some studies show brain development is slightly different in children and adults with ASD (Van Rooij, D. Ph.D, 2018), so teaching, counseling, and parenting techniques must be adapted to accommodate these differences so both the child on the spectrum and the caregiver can have the best chance to succeed.