What is social communication?
Social communication is how we use words, body language, and social cues to connect with others. It includes understanding tone and facial expressions, starting and keeping conversations going, taking turns and sharing ideas, adjusting how we communicate in different settings, and responding to other people’s feelings and perspectives.
Many neurodivergent children and teens experience social communication challenges—they long for connection but find it hard to make or keep friends. Over time, these experiences leave them feeling confused, disconnected and lonely.
Social Communication Disorder
Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder is a distinct diagnosis in the DSM-5 that recognizes individuals who have significant difficulties in using verbal and nonverbal communication for social purposes.
Examples of social communication challenges
Social communication challenges can show up in many different ways. You might notice that your child:
- Wants friendships but isn’t sure how to make or keep them
- Feels unsure about how to join conversations, games, or group activities
- Talks mostly about their own interests or finds back-and-forth conversation hard
- Misses jokes, sarcasm, or the ‘hidden rules’ other kids seem to pick up
- Struggles with personal space, tone of voice, or volume
- Becomes overwhelmed in busy social settings
- Gets into frequent conflicts or misunderstandings with peers
- Is easily hurt by small comments or moments of exclusion
These behaviours often reflect social demands that feel too big in the moment—not a lack of caring, effort, or desire to connect.
Social communication therapy
At Red Oak, we help young people build the skills and confidence to connect in ways that feel meaningful and genuine to them. We take a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming approach, supporting each person in developing practical communication skills while honouring who they are.
Our speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists focuses on helping young people feel more confident, understood, and connected in everyday life. Social communication support can happen one-on-one, in dyads or in group sessions.
Support may focus on conversation skills, cooperative play, emotional awareness, perspective-taking, self-advocacy, managing big feelings in social settings, and navigating both online and in-person relationships.
If your child is struggling with social communication, we can help.
Get SupportUnderstanding social communication differences
Everyone’s social communication profile is unique. Differences are a natural part of who we are and how we interact with the world around us. Support becomes important when these differences make life feel hard, confusing, or painful.
These challenges are not due to a lack of care, effort, or motivation. Understanding what is making social communication hard helps us provide support that truly fits your child and helps them feel capable, understood, and more confident.
When it isn’t clear what is underlying these challenges, a comprehensive assessment can help. An assessment looks at your child’s social, emotional, and learning profile. It can clarify whether an underlying diagnosis—such as Autism, ADHD, or a language or communication disorder—is part of the picture. The results offer meaningful, individualized recommendations to guide next steps.
