The use of eye contact is a social behaviour which we often use a measure to see if others are listening to us, however this alone does not indicate if the person actually listening to you. For some children making eye contact and the use of prolonged eye contact can be physically painful. If they are able to make eye contact then the effort to do so will reduce their ability to listen. A child should be encouraged to look in the direction of the person speaking, perhaps looking at the speaker’s chin, nose and/or foreheads rather than eyes.