Whether it’s helping to prepare for a trip to the hospital, going on vacation, or just resolving day-to-day behaviors such as eating, hygiene, or sharing toys, social stories can be a part of your arsenal of tools to help your child navigate social challenges.
So what exactly is a Social Story?
A Social Story is a very short social situation that is typically accompanied by pictures and includes the child and/or other persons that he or she is familiar with. The story usually involves social situation and describes how the child can handle those situations, including identifying social cues and how to respond. For instance, if a child has a sibling and there is constant conflict about sharing toys, a Social Story may be helpful in having the child understand the concept of taking turns and sharing.
If you are receiving wraparound services, you can ask a member of your therapy team to develop social stories for you to use with your child. If both you and your child’s therapist are using them, that’s even better because reinforcement of the same concept usually helps.
As always, because each child is different, there are no guarantees that all ASD children will have the same outcomes by using social stories, but as you continue to build your arsenal of tools, tips, and resources, it doesn’t hurt to add one more. Plus, you will never know if its helpful unless you try.
Below are the links to websites that I have found to be helpful in the past. Some include standard stories and some enable you to create your own.
https://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/resources/behavior-stories/
http://www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_social_stories.html
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/social-stories-creator-library/id588180598?mt=8
Until next time……
