Teaching young children with autism to talk.

Full Abstract

Frequent functional spoken communication is a common goal for young children with autism. We propose that the number of different nonimitative, referential, conventional, and communicative words used in a language sample is a reasonable measure of the behavior we wish to increase in such children. We review our own and others' studies focusing on young (i.e., 2 to 3 years old) children with autism to provide a rationale for including object play and nonverbal communication as potentially important treatment goals. Children who are not yet fluent in object play and nonverbal communication may need to improve these skills to facilitate the implementation and uptake of direct language therapy. Past research has shown that object play, nonverbal communication, and useful speech all are influenced by various types of interventions in young children with autism.

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Author information

Author/s: Yoder, Paul (P); McDuffie, Andrea (A);

Affiliation: Department of Special Education, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203, USA. paul.yoder(-atsign-)vanderbilt.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Seminars in speech and language (Semin Speech Lang), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Aug; vol 27 (issue 3) : pp 161-72

Dates: Created 2006/08/30; Completed 2006/10/16;

PMID: 16941287, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Autistic Disorder - complications; therapy
Child, Preschool
Communication Disorders - etiology; therapy
Humans
Nonverbal Communication

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