All individuals can benefit from learning how to interact with others. Research by Dr. S. Joyal states human interaction and physical touch is thought to help increase the lifespan. Other the hand, Casserly (2010) states the negative effects of social isolation are:

• As bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
• As dangerous as being an alcoholic.
• As harmful as never exercising.
• Twice as dangerous as obesity.

We could all dedicate a few more hours a month cultivating friendships. Friendship takes time, and parents of children with a disability know all too well the pain of isolation. Children that have ADHD often have problems staying on task long enough to play a childhood game that comes so easy to the rest of us. Making friends can be difficult for busy little bodies that have a hard time respecting boundaries because of impulsiveness.

One of the best gifts a parent can give a child is to make their home a welcome environment for their friends to come and visit. These visits will help the child to build long lasting relationships with their peers, and teach pertinent social skills that will follow the child into the classroom. As of now, there are not any proven medical benefits of social networking. Therefore, acquiring 500 facebook friends is not comparable to having a small “back to school” party in the home.

Reference: Meghan Casserly (2010) Friends with health benefits: social circles give back. Retrieved August 30, 2010 from http://www.forbes.com