All children shine in their own light, but particular autism strengths come along with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis that you may start to notice as your child continues to grow and develop. As we know, there are different types of ASD, so strengths of individuals with autism do vary from child to child but generally revolve around particular topics of interest, memory skills, reading skills, and artistic skills, just to name a few.

At Simple Spectrum, we know that your journey is unique, and understanding your child’s autism strengths may be one of the best ways to help your child grow. Today, we discuss unique strengths that may come with ASD and how to encourage your child to use these strengths to improve other areas of their lives. These could be strengths within your child’s own skillset or strengths that are noticeable when compared to other children in their age group.

One of the most important things about development is understanding how your child learns. Are they better listeners? Are they visual learners or step-by-step learners? This is something that all parents should pay attention to, but parents of children with ASD should especially take note of. Children with Autism tend to be visual learners and thinkers, and this is a strength that can be used to develop other skills. This highlights the autism benefits of visual learning.

Visual skills may be common in children diagnosed with Autism because they tend to focus on the smaller details rather than the larger picture. There is a lot of skepticism and debate on whether children with ASD learn better with visual aids, but many parents believe this is their child’s most obvious strength. Visual learning may be more effective for Autistic children because visual information is often processed differently and lasts longer than written or audible information. This is one of the many autism positive traits that can be nurtured.

When we say that children with Autism tend to like rules and structure, we don’t mean the strict “don’ts” of the house but rather the rule-based thinking that creates structure for your child. This is considered an autistic strength that could also be used to expand your child’s skill set.

Typically, children with ASD tend to have an exceptional understanding of rules and structure. Creating structure for your child can start by making clear and specific rules or steps for almost everything can be a great way to help your child with day-to-day activities. Another great thing about this particular strength is that it may help your child with the “unspoken rules” of social communication and interaction, which we know children with ASD tend to struggle with. This is one of the strengths of students with autism that can be leveraged in educational settings.

Another strength of children with ASD is their preference of set routines and consistency. As we talked about, they are visual learners and thinkers so having a visual schedule can be beneficial to both you and your child. It is not uncommon for children with Autism to have difficulty understanding day-to-day activities or tasks that they need to participate in - social situations, outings, doctor visits, brushing teeth, bedtime rituals. Creating a visual schedule for your child can help them navigate and understand the need for these daily tasks and routines. Once a routine is created, your child should know what to expect in situations that may have otherwise caused additional stress or sensory overload. This demonstrates the autism and focus connection that can be harnessed positively.

Children with ASD tend to hyperfocus on certain things, resulting in exceptional knowledge of one topic or area of interest. This can be difficult for parents at times because it’s hard to shift their focus, but this is actually a strength that can be used as a tool to expand on or develop new skills. This is another example of autism positive traits that can be nurtured.

Suppose your child is particularly interested in a specific topic. In that case, you can encourage them to speak about their topic of interest and engage with them by asking questions and simply listening. This can sharpen their communication and even social skills, highlighting the autism and creativity connection that can be fostered.

At Simple Spectrum, we also want to help children be the best version of themselves, and that is why our supplements can be used to sharpen your child’s skills by addressing dietary deficiencies. Supporting the strengths of individuals with autism is at the core of our mission.