Autism

You Are a Social Detective: Part One

Wanted: Social Skills  Most of the time kids learn social cues, like how to interact with others and make friends, simply by watching other kids. Kids with autism and other similar challenges don’t always grasp this naturally.  Such kids need to be taught the hidden rules of relationships and social interaction. You Are a Social Detective: Explaining Social Thinking to Kids🕵️‍♀️ A great resource for this dilemma is You Are a Social Detective: Explaining Social Thinking to Kids.  The book is written by therapist Michelle Winner and Dr. Pamela Crooke (and illustrated by Kelly Knopp).  It reveals social cues needed for healthy social interaction and explains how to be a “social detective.” Preface📖 In the preface it explains how parents and professionals should use this book. This book is not just for kids who obviously need help with social skills.  All sorts of different people, even adults, can profit from reading this book.   Social Vocabulary … Keep Reading…

How Floortime Can Help Speech and Language Development

What is Floortime?

Many therapists use Floortime to address many different skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including speech and language. This method is part of Developmental Individual-difference Relationship-based model (DIR), which is an approach to early intervention for autism and developmental delays. The psychiatrists Stanley Greenspan, M.D. and Serena Wieder, Ph.D. founded Floortime therapy, as a way to build communication and cognitive skills in young children.

You may have already guessed from the name, but Floortime involves the parents or speech therapist getting on the floor to engage the child in play. While some therapeutic methods are provided in a structured setting, Floortime occurs during play and is “directed” by the child. This means the adult will use toys or activities that the child chooses or shows interest in.

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