Joint Attention Skills and Children with Autism

By Aamina Shakoor – Speech Pathologist

What is Joint Attention?

Joint attention is the ability to share a common focus on something with another person, this may include people, a concept, objects or an event. It involves being able to gain, maintain and also shift attention. Joint attention is used as a referencing tool that involves visually focusing on the same thing and/or gesture can also be utilised. Overall, sharing focus helps individuals communicate effectively, but also helps develop important social skills which include understanding other people’s point of view and forming a bond. Joint attention skills can also be an indicator of a child’s language development.

Joint attention first begins during infancy and it is established between a child and their parent or guardian. Early skills encompass reaching out to be picked up, pointing toward a toy or focusing on looking at the same page in a book. Later developing skills involve participating and focusing on a game, playing make-believe or requesting for certain items.

Children with Autism may experience some difficulties with such activities as they may tend to lack the social skills that are necessary to initiate and maintain focus with another person. This can tend to lead to dealing with difficulties in allowing for their wants and needs to be understood and met.

Skills Needed for Joint Attention:

A variety of skills are important for joint attention (Woods & Wetherby, 2008, p. 181). Not only do these skills help an individual to get his/her wants and needs met, but they are necessary for appropriate interactions and developing meaningful relationships.

These skills include:

• Orienting and attending to a social partner
• Shifting gaze between people and objects
• Sharing emotional states with another person
• Following the gaze and point of another person
• Being able to draw another person’s attention to objects or events for the purpose of sharing experiences

 How to Help Improve Joint Attention:

Ways to help improve a child with their joint attention skills can include providing a good language model. Helping children with autism in particular, it is crucial to use gestures, such as pointing along with eye contact or gaze to show the child where to direct their attention. Using hand-over-hand approach which involves the parent or guardian holding the child’s hand and helping them to point to an object to help practice gestures. Pointing towards object that the child is familiar with and is interest in can also be a great place to start. Additionally, other ways to help improve joint attention is to also follow the child’s lead. When the child is showing interest in a particular object or toy, you can follow their lead and also show interest in the chosen object or toy. Furthermore, commenting on their interests can also enhance joint attention.

Joint attention skills can be incorporated into daily routines. Many children with autism tend to have more success with daily functioning when they have consistent routines. Keeping in mind that practicing joint attention skills in the child’s natural environment can help them achieve and develop social and communication skills at home, school and in the community.

Resources:

Woods, J. J., & Wetherby, A. M. (2008). Early identification of and intervention for infants and toddlers who are at risk for autism spectrum disorder. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, vol. 34, p. 180-193.