When do you elicit a language sample? Certainly when you first see a child you would want to take a language sample. However, if the child is not comfortable on the initial assessment, there is nothing written in stone that says that it has to be completed the first time around. That in itself should tell you something. I feel that ...

In last week's blog post, ''The iPad Becomes a wePad for Autism,'' I encouraged you to develop a relationship between the iPad, the child and another person, rather than letting the child with autism treat it as a ''thing.'' Let's call that with the iPad. That's when we can turn it into a wePad and make those applications come alive ...

Last week, Sam asked a great question: if I could give one single word that best describes what autism is or how it feels to have autism, what would it be? That single word is anxiety. This week, I want to give you some techniques to use with people with autism to ease that high anxiety level they suffer. And I do mean suffer. Anxiety ...

  I've blogged about many of the presenters, their platforms, programs, ideas, and sessions that I was privileged to meet, greet, and learn from at ASHA 2011. I scampered up and down the aisles of the exhibit hall seeking new ideas, books, electronics, and freebies. I reminisced with seasoned SLP friends and I felt renewed to ...

   This blog is based on the following blog from the ASHA Convention 2011:  Teaching Speech to Nonverbal Children at Risk for Autism by LorRainne Jones, PhD, CCC-SLP Kid Pro Therapy Services, Inc.Tampa, FL, verbalbehaviortherapy.com How to teach speech to nonverbal children with autism is a blog I am sure ...

  This blog is based on the following presentation from ASHA 2011: Language Development for Autism Through Creative Dramatics: Building Blocks Model By Julia Byers Van Volkenburg, M. Ed, CCC-SLP, Doctoral Candidate, West Virginia University   Julia Byers Van Volkenburg, M. Ed, CCC-SLP, knows drama. She loves drama and ...

Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz  Why, if I had a brain I could... [singing] I could while away the hours, Conferrin' with the flowers, Consultin' with the rain. And my head I'd be scratchin' While my thoughts were busy hatchin' If I only had a brain.   In last week's blog I talked about the characteristics of the ...

Joint Attention is two people sharing the same point of attention. It is being in the same moment at the same time. It is a basic skill for learning - EVERYTHING. Think of joint attention as the wall that supports Humpty Dumpty. The wall holds Humpty up, until of course, someone pushes him off. My first lesson in Joint Attention I learned ...

HOW TO START MAKING LANGUAGE DANCE WITH ADEQUATE EYE CONTACT The lack of eye contact is a hallmark of people with ASD. Watch this short video of Jade stacking blocks at 20 months. You can observe in this five-minute video that Jade lacks eye contact as well as any interaction with adults. She appears intelligent but lacks the pragmatics of ...

PRAGMATICS MAKE LANGUAGE DANCE In last week's Autism Spectrum Blog with the Cloud of Cotton Candy, I addressed Social Manners, Perseveration, and Anxiety as three main areas of language dysfunction that I see in adults with ASD. If these three areas are problematic in adulthood, we should be addressing them not only at that time, but also as a ...