Search Results for: blog promoting communication in your non verbal child

“Help Me, I’m Stuck in Autism.”

I once heard about a frightening scenario where a patient undergoing surgery is put under general anesthesia, but only the immobilizing aspect of it takes affect. The patient is able to feel the pain of the surgery and comprehends everything that is happening, but is powerless speak, move, or to ask for help. I can’t think of too many things more terrifying. Is it possible that autistic children are in a similar predicament? Do you ever wonder whether children with autism are imprisoned in a world of total sensory chaos, but on some level can comprehend what they are experiencing? … Continue reading →

Foster Discussions and Keep Communication Open

Have you ever had one of those stretches where you were so busy and distracted that it dawned on you that it had been a couple days since you really sat down and talked with your child? When this happens we get filled with guilt and remorse and wonder how on earth we could let such a thing happen… As busy single parents, we really have to make the extra effort to foster discussions with our kids–the older the children get and the more busy we all become, the harder it can be to carve out the time to chat. … Continue reading →

Children Who Can’t Trust

When an infant has a need (such as the need for nourishment) which is not met, there is a big emotional response. That’s because the stakes are so great. If the child isn’t nourished, he will die. So he makes his needs known rather dramatically, crying and thrashing about. If this emotional response eventually brings him the sustenance he needs, he begins learning to trust. He discovers that when he is vulnerable, someone in his life will respond lovingly. As the child grows and develops, trust continues to build as the cycle repeats over and over again. For example, the … Continue reading →

The Ladder of Cognitive Skills for Special Needs Kids

It’s often useful to keep in mind the kinds of skills we should be helping our special kids master as they grow and develop. The following steps are general guidelines you can use as you direct your child through floor time play at home, special education in the classroom, and social interactions with friends and family. As you read the following list, try to determine which steps your child has mastered and which ones need additional focus. Often times the child has a mixture of abilities and challenges on every rung of the ladder. And remember that in order for … Continue reading →

8 Difficult Autistic Behaviors (And Why They Happen)

Children with autism have numerous challenging behaviors for parents to deal with. Sometimes the behaviors seem to make no sense whatsoever. The child might seem unreachable, temperamental, and impossible to deal with. However, when we take a look at the underlying deficits that contribute to the problems, we can gain a better understanding. And with a little understanding, we are better equipped to find ways to help. The following is a list of eight typical behaviors of an autistic child, and their likely causes. This is not an exhaustive list of all autism symptoms, and some autistic children will only … Continue reading →

12 Signs That Your Child Is Trying to Tell You Something

Children who are non-verbal or have language difficulties exhibit many behaviors in an effort to try to communicate. Sometimes these attempts to “tell you something” can be misunderstood. It might seem like your son or daughter is just being evasive, annoying, or naughty. But it’s important to recognize that children who have difficulty with speech struggle with a whole lot of frustration. When my son Kyle was a preschooler, his tantrums were incredibly severe because he could not adequately communicate his desires. I’m sure he sometimes felt like a tourist in a foreign country, getting a whole lot of blank … Continue reading →

When Your Child on the Autism Spectrum has RAGE

When I was a young mother with a newly-diagnosed autistic toddler, a woman came to my home to talk to me about her adult son with autism. What is interesting is that I do not remember who put us in touch or even her name. But she came for a visit, I suppose because I was just starting the journey, and she was a street-wise traveler. She shared some very frightening stories about her son. Our visit was not very helpful; it actually terrified me. Horror Stories She told me that once her son reached puberty, his episodes of rage … Continue reading →

Promoting Communication in Your Non-Verbal Child

By request, I am taking a more in-depth look at ways in which parents can help promote communication from their non-verbal children. As part of my series on floor time strategies, this blog will be specifically devoted to floor time techniques to use with children who don’t speak. (Not sure what floor time is? Click here.) For the non-verbal child, all the rules of floor time still apply: Give 20 – 30 minutes of your undivided attention, several times per day. Build on the child’s favorite behaviors. You are going to let your son or daughter select the activity through … Continue reading →

FLOOR TIME: Promoting Better Communication Skills

As you become more proficient in your role as “parent therapist extraordinaire” and your child is becoming more attentive, you’ll eventually want to move on to the next goal. The second goal in these floor time play sessions is to improve your child’s ability to communicate effectively. (This floor time blog is the third in a series of five, teaching parents how to be their child’s own play therapist. If you haven’t read my introductory floor time blog, click here.) During your 20-30 minute floor time play sessions, your child should now be demonstrating signs of personal interest and attention … Continue reading →