Autism Spectrum Across Ages and Environments

Organizing the Very Young Autistic Mind Part III-B

Part III-A, posted last week, my blog presented some fun strategies for targeting humor/ laughter and attention/focus for the very young autistic mind. The purpose of these two blogs is to mesh the right side of the brain with the left side of the brain and to help a person with ASD "dance" in a more synchronized fashion.

Here are two more very important concepts that need to be taught to all people with ASD from early ages and continuing through middle grades or beyond.

• Categorizing
  There are a number of ways to categorize. Start by color, shape, or category, depending on where the child's strength lies. If I cannot determine where that strength is, I begin with color.
  
  Colored Teddy Bears and cups are great but you don't start with all five colors at one time. Use two to begin and then add each colored cup as the child advances. This is a possible hand-over-hand activity depending on the child.
  
  Knock ‘em down by rolling a small ball or using a bean bag. Toss or roll it at the picture or items that are blue or animals, etc. Do not use over three pictures/items at one time.
  
  I spy with my little eye is one of my favorite games to categorize with the child who exhibits joint attention. They may or may not be verbal as long as they point. The SLP can "spy" something around the room that is red or a particular animal, etc. (items need to be planted around the room in advance by the SLP).
• Sequencing
  As SLPs, I'm sure we were born with a bottle of bubbles in our hands! Sequencing is so important throughout life and it must be taught early to our non-verbal children as well as continuing through the adult population. The good news is, it can be. Here is my standard for teaching sequencing (I also teach this three-step process to parents/caregivers):
  
  
  
  

  We get other benefits from this simple sequence event as well:

• Visual tracking
• Pointing
• Following directions
• Laughter
• Turn taking
• Oral motor exercise (if the child blows)
• Requesting  (let the child request more in his/her own way)
• Initiating
• Wait time

There are sequence cards available when the child is ready to use them. These can develop into storytelling. Many SLPs use cards daily and these can also be found on an iPad app. Easy puzzles on an app are also very stimulating for the early childhood kiddo and offer sequencing by counting or by color.

I like sequence stacks/blocks like these. Incorporate top/bottom, middle, first/last, body parts, knock ‘em over, stack ‘em up, roll a ball at them, "head - body - tail - and toes."

Let me know your thoughts about humor/laughter, attention/focus, categorization, and sequencing for all of our little friends. As SLPs, we need to mend and mold the minds of young children with autism/ASD.

"Speech pathologists make good things happen."