My child avoids eye contact when speaking

Common reasons children avoid eye contact

1. They feel shy or nervous with the person.
2. They are concentrating hard on what to say.
3. They feel embarrassed or worried about being judged.
4. They are not used to speaking in front of others.
5. Looking at faces feels overwhelming for some children.

8 gentle ways to help

1. Get down to your child's eye level when you talk.
2. Praise eye contact when it happens: "I loved how you looked at me when you told that story."
3. Teach the "forehead trick": looking at someone's forehead or nose feels easier and looks the same.
4. Start with short moments, like eye contact while saying hello and goodbye.
5. Practise with family members and pets first.
6. Hold a favourite toy near your face while chatting with younger children.
7. When practising speeches, ask your child to look at three spots in the room in turn.
8. Model eye contact yourself during everyday conversations.

6 fun eye contact games

1. Staring contest: who can hold eye contact longest without laughing?
2. Eye colour game: look and tell me the colour of my eyes.
3. Wink murder: catch the person winking by watching faces.
4. Mirror game: copy each other's facial expressions.
5. Silent signals: send a message only with your eyes, like "look at the door".
6. Spot the change: look at a face, close your eyes, then guess what changed.

Why does my child not look at people when talking?

Most often it is shyness, nerves or concentrating on what to say. Gentle practice and praise help it grow.

How can I teach my child eye contact?

Get to their eye level, praise eye contact when it happens, try the forehead trick and play fun games like staring contests.

Should I be worried if my child avoids eye contact?

Usually not, if it happens mainly with strangers or in groups. If it happens with everyone along with other concerns, speak to your paediatrician.