The Role of Extracurriculars for Children With Autism

At this point, the most effective form of treatment for autism is early intervention programs designed to help individuals develop skills they may otherwise miss. While a child’s needs will vary greatly depending on where he or she falls on the autism spectrum, many children with autism will benefit from assistance developing social, communication, and motor skills. Structured programs like social skills groups that are specifically designed to help autistic individuals can have an enormous effect. Conversely, unstructured, more organic environments like active play and sports can also help children develop a different set of skills, or develop those skills in a different way. Regardless of what outlets patients and parents are involved in, it’s important to remember that each child is different and will respond differently to development programs.