Autism Support Groups — In Person or Online?
When it comes to finding the perfect autism support group for your child, one of the first steps is deciding whether you want the meetings to take place in-person or online. While both versions have their benefits, virtual sessions are often the easiest and most effective choice for families of all kinds. Read on to discover some of the main benefits that come along with online autism support groups:
Online Autism Support Groups are Convenient
With all of the commitments that already exist in your life, finding time for an autism support group can be a challenge. By choosing an online version, you can say goodbye to the potentially long commute time that is typically required by similar in-person services. It’s also much easier to find a group that meets at a time that works for you and your family, whether that’s weekday mornings, weekend afternoons, or any time in between.
The Internet Makes it Easy to Meet Like-Minded Individuals
When it comes to in-person meet-ups, you can only travel so far. It can be difficult to find others with interests similar to the ones your child holds. Maybe the biggest pastime in your home is building model cars, or maybe the highest interest is learning about all the planets and stars in outer space. With online groups, your reach goes further, allowing you to find others who enjoy the same subjects, no matter how unique they may be. As an added bonus, this benefit is sure to help your child maintain interest in their support group and begin to form real friendships, too.
The Informal Feel Fits Childhood and Teenage Preferences
It’s easy for in-person autism support groups to feel like just another appointment or therapy session. This may cause your young child or teen to lose interest in the service. Luckily, online settings feel different — in a good way.
With Zoom-based meet-ups, it’s easy to get your child excited about their support group. You can talk all about the friends they’ll make and the intriguing topics they’ll get to talk about. Frame it as a fun session with friends — not something that’s designed to build on their social lives and skills. You don’t even have to mention the benefits they’ll pick up along the way. When the autism support group looks more like a fun time to chat and laugh with new friends, it’s much more likely to be not only accepted, but looked forward to, by your child each day.
Top-Notch Experts Are Available and Accessible
No need to worry about who’s available and accepting new members in your area. This can be an especially significant challenge if you live in a more remote area, but with online support groups, it’s completely diminished. You can meet with field experts and highly trained individuals from the comfort of your own home — no matter where that may be. Finding the right mentors and group moderators for your child may even be the missing piece to the support group success you’ve been hoping for, making sessions fun and meaningful at the same time.
If you’re ready to give an autism support group a try, feel free to reach out to Ascent Autism today. Our highly trained moderators, personalized group matching system, and extensive experience are just a few factors that make our services stand out.
Sep 15, 2021Hye Ryeon Lee, PhDHye Ryeon is a neuroscientist with over 10 years of experience studying Autism Spectrum Disorder, including at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She has published numerous papers on the mechanisms of autism in journals such as Nature, Science, and Nature Neuroscience.https://www.linkedin.com/in/hyeryeonlee/