AUTISM - APPROACHES

Approaches used Picture Exchange Communication System ( PECS ) The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is augmentative/ alternative package that allows nonverbal children and adults with autism and other communication deficits to initiate communication. It has recently been incorporated in Speech Therapy practice to enhance speech and language development. It allows educators, care providers and families to able to readily use in a variety of settings. Verbal prompts are not used, thus building immediate initiation and avoiding prompt dependency. The system goes on to teach discrimination of symbols and then puts them all together in simple "sentences." Children are also taught to comment and answer direct questions. Sign-along Signalong is a UK based approach which offers children with learning disabilities and those around them a valuable aid to communication. A successful communication system combats frustration, builds self-esteem and a sense of achievement for everybody. Signalong achieves this through sign-supported speech. Only the most important words are signed. The use of key words simplifies sentences. The word is said as it being signed. Since signs often pictorially echo their meaning, they help clarify the subject. The action of signing slows down speech giving more time for comprehension. Facial expression and body language further enhance communication. This approach provides an opportunity to children of all abilities who are able to sign before they are able to talk to communicate, provided signs are used consistently with speech. Sensory Integration Therapy (SI) is based on the idea that people with motor or sensory problems have difficulty processing the information their body receives through the various senses. A child with sensory issues will often present their difficulties as one or more of the following - •being extremely silly and unresponsive •laughing uncontrollably •losing control of his body i.e. getting extremely limp and/or clumsy •becoming either hyper- or hypo-sensitive to pain and other physical stimuli •getting aggressive such as pinching or spitting •flapping hands •humming and clicking while wandering around aimlessly One of the most effective treatments for Sensory Processing Disorders is a sensory diet. A "Sensory diet" provides the kind of sensory input that will help your child feel less threatened by sensory experiences, be calmer, more focused, and better able to cope. WHEN TO USE THESE ACTIVITIES: • Periodically throughout the day to maintain self-regulation and attention • Before an event that is likely to trigger a "flight or fight" response. E.g. before going into a crowd or an activity with a lot of unexpected or novel stimuli, before dinnertime or washing hair, before going to school. • When your child is showing poor self-regulation or a "flight or fight" response. E.g. before activities which require your child to sit, pay attention, or focus. before activities which your child finds difficult or frustrating . Auditory training can be considered a form of sensory integration in which stimulation may sensitize or desensitize one or more senses. Theoretically speaking, if one or more senses are impaired in an individual, he or she may develop a distorted perception of the environment. There has been much research in the past 15 years to indicate that many individuals with autism have sensory dysfunction in one or more areas. Music Therapy includes singing, movement to music and playing instruments. It is a good medium for children with ASD and ADD/ADHD because it requires no verbal interaction as music is by nature structured. It also facilitates play which can aid in socialization indirectly influencing behaviour.