Autism
For preschools children with autism I use methods taught in Hanen More Than Words. In this program parents are an essential part of intervention. Parents learn how to build their child’s social communication skills during everyday routines and activities. They also learn how to understand their child better while having more fun together.
In order to work effectively with children who are gestalt language processors, I have been trained in Natural Language Acquisition. Gestalt language processors are children who learn language in chunks. Some gestalt learners with autism become “stuck” in using memorized language and are unable to form unique word combinations. Natural Language Acquisition helps these children learn language in a developmentally appropriate, naturalistic way.
For children on the autism spectrum who are able to hold conversations but still need to work on social emotional communication skills, I use the methods taught by Social Thinking. Social Thinking has curriculum available for preschool through young adult ages, and is a fantastic resource because it breaks down complex social executive functioning concepts (like perspective taking) into understandable and doable parts that can be applied in any setting.
