NHS Lanarkshire is introducing parents to a special programme to help them support children who have autism or other challenges with social interaction.

Mums and dads have praised the sessions, which highlight the benefits of Talkability, a method that helps parents support the improvement of their children’s “people skills”.

Talkability gives parents tools to help children with social interaction or communication disorder, who may also have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Parents who took part in the most recent course, at Airdrie Community Health Centre, expressed their delight about how helpful it had been for them and their children.

Adrian O’Reilly, from Chapelhall, said he had seen “rapid improvement” in his 10-year-old son, Cameron, who has ASD.

Adrian explained: “Talkability was something that appealed to me as soon as I heard about it. I hadn’t been to anything like this before.

“Cameron has made a lot of progress through Talkability. I have learned an infinite amount about how to deal with his social challenges, the ways to improve my interaction with him and how to develop his conversational skills.”

Arlene Clark, from Calderbank, near Airdrie, said her six-year-old son, Calvin, had been diagnosed with ASD.

She said: “He has come on leaps and bounds since we started using the programme. It used to be that he only wanted to speak about what he was interested in but I have learned to talk to him in a more adult way and explain that not everything is about what he’s doing.

“I have taken loads away from it, using the strategies to do activities and take him out of his comfort zone.”

Sarah Travers, whose six-year-old son, Cameron, doesn’t have a formal diagnosis, said she has found the support of the other parents in the sessions very helpful.

Sarah, from Airdrie, commented: “It’s good to know you aren’t on your own and it’s useful to hear that some of the other children have shown similar behaviour to Cameron at the same age.”

Jonathan Kelly, from Cairnhill, Airdrie, said he works with adults who have autism but was at first reluctant to accept his six-year-old daughter, Olivia-Rose, may eventually be diagnosed with ASD.

His wife, Kathleen, added: “It’s harder to diagnose autism in girls and we weren’t even sure there was an issue for us. Coming to Talkability has shown us that the kids are all very similar and it has been extremely helpful.

“We found it was Olivia-Rose’s social skills, more than her communication, that she needed help with, so we have picked the bits out of the programme that help us to steer her in the right direction.”

Rhona Williamson, NHS Lanarkshire speech and language therapy (SLT) clinic coordinator for children and young people, said: “Talkability is being used across NHS Lanarkshire by the SLT department.

“It enables children to develop their ‘people skills’ by providing the parents with strategies they can use in everyday situations.

“Topics covered include ‘get ready for conversations’, ‘help your child tune in to others’, ‘help your child become a story-teller’ and ‘be your child’s play coach’.

“Parents work with SLT staff to set individual goals for their child that they will feel comfortable with and able to use day-to-day.”