Autistic Children Can Make Friends

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. - Oct. 26, 2013 - PRLog -- Award winning autism nonprofit organization, The Friendship Network for Children, Inc., announces a free workshop on autism and social development on November 2, 2013 in Northborough, MA. “Social development is so much more that just making friends,” says Nancy Swanberg, Founder and Executive Director of The Friendship Network. The workshop titled, “Helping Your Child Thrive: What Every Parent Needs to Know about Autism and Social Development,” is for parents of a child with autism or other social learning disabilities.

The workshop is from 11:00am-12:00pm at the Northborough Public Library on 34 Main Street, Northborough, MA. It offers a deeper look at the different levels of social development in children with autism. “It is important for parents to have a thorough understanding of their child’s social world in order to help them succeed in life,” says Swanberg. “There is more to social development than meets the eye. It involves everything from bedtime routines to college readiness and from sharing toys to creating lasting friendships.”

Kimberly Welch, art therapist at The Friendship Network, explains the need for this workshop. "Working with autistic children, I have seen first-hand how social confusion has a dramatic negative impact on their lives. More than most people realize. We need to meet the children where they are at and then provide the necessary support and encouragement so life is not overwhelming.”

"Many interventions try to correct symptoms without regard to feelings; we take the child’s whole development into consideration,” says Swanberg. She founded The Friendship Network because of the extreme loneliness and isolation that often goes untreated in children with autism.

Swanberg and Welch will facilitate the workshop and both are professional counselors specializing in autism. The parent workshop is open to the public, and professionals and other family members welcome to attend.

For additional information on The Friendship Network for Children or to pre-register for the workshop, visit http://www.networkforchildren.org