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Research shows that many people with autism have difficulty with joint attention, which is the ability to share focus on an object or area with another person. Examples of joint attention skills include following someone else's gaze or pointed finger to look at something.
Joint attention is important to communication and language learning. Joint attention therapy focuses on improving specific skills related to shared attention,1 such as:
Pointing
Showing
Coordinating looks between a person and an object
Improvements from such treatments can last for years.
Citations
Kasari, C., Gulsrud, A. C., Wong, C., Kwon, S., & Locke, J. (2010). Randomized controlled caregiver mediated joint attention intervention for toddlers with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(9), 1045–1056.
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