Getting Kids with ADHD to Make More Eye Contact

[Anonymous]

I'd like to make a comment here without being attacked. My beliefs are that lack of eye-contact is a function of toxicity in the brain. I know that most of you are "therapy"-based people, but there is a growing number of people who believe that these neurological disorders are indicative of heavy metal poisoning.

I have my own experience to back this up as my oldest DS had numerous tics and ADD tendencies. After a few months of mild oral chelation, the tics were gone. Anyway, I thought this was an interesting link......

http://www.mercurypoisoning.me/symptoms_of_heavy_metal_poisoning.html

[Anonymous]

From what I understand, the eye contact thing is not too important. In fact, forcing them to do this can overwhelm them. Especially with sensory issues. Just interacting with people and being in the situation is enough to handle. Making eye contact, just seems like a "typical" person's issue.

[Anonymous]

But they're missing out on tons of social information from NOT making eye contact.

Maybe it's better to help reduce their sensory overload by providing lots of OT and encouraging them to make eye contact, not by force or compulsion or ABA methods, but rather by teasing, joking, playing and making them WANT to look at you and others.

[Anonymous]

I am 13 and my parents want me to have more eye contact in martial arts. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

20:33- this is an older thread about kids with special needs (ADHD in this case). Are your parents pushing you to make more eye contact because it is lacking in every day life or in order to make you more competitive in martial arts? There would be different root causes for each.

[Anonymous]

This is a totally off the wall question but my ASD child who presented NT normal up through high school graduation has developed much more significant eye contact problems in college. Now it is quite noticeable, especially when DC is nervous or trying to talk to a professor, etc. The eye contact problem was not this severe when in an SN school and in public with an IEP. Does anyone know if it normally gets worse with age (and stress of course because college is a much more tougher environment than DC expected).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a totally off the wall question but my ASD child who presented NT normal up through high school graduation has developed much more significant eye contact problems in college. Now it is quite noticeable, especially when DC is nervous or trying to talk to a professor, etc. The eye contact problem was not this severe when in an SN school and in public with an IEP. Does anyone know if it normally gets worse with age (and stress of course because college is a much more tougher environment than DC expected).

I would have your kid evaluated for anxiety since they are college aged and this is a new symptom that happens when they're nervous.

[Anonymous]

Ask the DC why they're not making eye contact (if DC can comprehend). I didn't realized I wasn't making eye contact when talking to people until a teacher told me when I was high school! Wish somebody had told me earlier.
My DH says I still makes sporadic eye contact, but I do make an effort to make more eye contacts when talking to people now.

If your DC does ABA, pls don't have the tell DC to "Look at me!" or have DC make eye contact for x seconds.
I've seen ASD kids who stare at people when they're talking / making way too much eye contact, because they're "trained" that way.
Instead, do it more naturally, i.e. before responding to your DC, pause until DC looks at you (gives him a smile) or when you're reading a book/talking, pause (as if you're thinking) until DC makes an eye contact, etc.