How To Improve Your Autistic Child's Eye Contact

For my son, helping him feel less intimidated was a big deal. When having eye contact for someone with autism can seem intimidating or make them feel uneasy. I started by just spending time with him in a room. Keep things very basic and try to let yourself fall into his world. What ever he is into you need to be into also. Don't try to push the eye contact but when he or she does, tell them great job for looking and reward with a little tickle, hug, or treat. After your child starts feeling comfortable with you they will start learning to shape a friendship. This may take a while. It took me a long time with Eli.

After doing this for a little bit, start adding in fun little things to do like sorting objects, working on puzzles and other things with a simple technique.
The important thing to remember here is that you want that eye contact. You also don't want to use to much speech.
Here are some examples:

Place the puzzle on the floor and take the pieces out. You will be in charge of these. One at a time, hold a piece up to your face about eye level and let your child take the piece and place it in the correct spot. Each time try to get them to make that eye contact and then reward them with a verbal "good looking"! Even if it's a split second, it counts. If the child is looking away or stares off into space, be patient. Sometimes tapping the puzzle piece on the table lightly and bringing it back up to eye level pulls them out of it. Or sometimes, you just have to wait. Let your child feel like there is no time limit. You can do this with sorting colors, other puzzles, or even with things you know they want.

Even if it doesn't make a difference at first keep at it. Earn your trust with your child. After a while with Elijah, I started doing it with things I knew he liked and wanted like cookies or milk. It has taken a good two years for me but he has some great eye contact now! Not all the time, but when he does it makes everything worth it. =) Good luck and hang in there!