Say hello
Look up, say something and wave or hold out a hand at the same time, all within a couple of seconds and with someone waiting for a response. The visual support below takes the greeting apart into pieces that can be practised one by one.
♀Say hello
A smiling child holds up both hands and waves, with arrows showing the waving motion.
About this visual support
Greeting looks simple from the outside, but it is three things coordinated in real time: the eyes go up towards another person, a word has to be found, and a gesture has to be chosen depending on who it is. When the timing slips, the silence stretches, and that silence is usually harder on the child than the greeting itself.
Visual support moves part of that load out of the moment. When the look, the word and the gesture each have their own picture, the three parts can be practised separately and then put together, a bit like the steps of a dance. Many autistic children, and just as many children who are simply shy, manage greetings far better once they know exactly what is expected and in what order.
Practise at home on people who already feel safe: grandma at the door, a neighbour on the stairs, a sibling in the morning. Keep the same pictures in the hallway where the meetings actually happen, so the support sits where it is needed. You can also save the order in Routined and try the app for 14 days at no cost.