User:Renukanaik99/sandbox

best friend Effect of Developmental Issues on Friendship Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder "is a complex neurological and developmental disorder that affects how a person acts and interacts with others, communicates, and learns."[14] This disorder is rated on a scale; some people have more severe cases, and others have more mild cases, where the person is able to function in society as a typically developing person.[14] Children with disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, and High-functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome, usually have some difficulty forming friendships. This is due to the autistic nature of some of their symptoms, which include, but are not limited to, preferring routine actions to change, obsessive interests and rituals, and usually lacking good social skills. This does not mean that they are not able to form friendships, however. It is shown that children with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to be close friends with one specific person versus a group.[15] Being very close friends with one individual is very crucial for developing social skills necessary for everyday interactions that most children with autism do not have.[15] Also, it is shown that children with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to be close friends with other children with some sort of a disability than a typically developing child.[15] Also, it is shown that a sense of parental attachment aids in the quality of friendships in children with autism spectrum disorder.[16] A sense of attachment with one's parents compensates for the lack of social skills that would usually inhibit or drastically affect friendships.[16] With time, moderation, and proper instruction, children with autism spectrum disorder are able to form friendships after realizing their own strengths and weaknesses. In a study done by Frankel, et al., it shows that parental intervention and instruction plays an important role in developing friendships.[17] The skills taught in the session included collaboration, coping with teasing, and being a good host of a play date.[17] Along with parental intervention, school professionals, such as paraprofessionals, teachers, and special education coordinators, play an important role in teaching social skills and how to interact with peers. Paraprofessionals, specifically one-on-one aides and classroom aides, are often placed with children with autism spectrum disorder in order to facilitate friendships and guide the child to making and maintaining substantial friendships.[18] Although lessons and training may help a lot with interactions with the peers of children with autism, bullying is still a big concern in social situations. According to Anahad O'Connor of the New York Times, bullying is most likely to occur in children who have most potential to live independently, such as children with Asperger Syndrome.[19] Children with asperger syndrome are more at risk than anyone because they have many of the rituals and lack of some social skills as children with autism, but they are mainstreamed in school because they are on the higher-functioning end of the autism spectrum.[19] O'Connor goes on to say, "Bullying of children with autism disorders most often occurs as teasing and name-calling, being shunned from activities and hitting." [19] O'Connor goes on to say that children on the autism spectrum have difficulty picking up on social cues of when they are maliciously being made fun of, so they do not always know when they are being bullied, and if they do realize, many have a difficult time talking about being bullied.[19] ADD & ADHD