A Unique Child Ann Yates Early Years Consultant March ‘10

1. A Unique ChildAnn YatesEarly Years ConsultantMarch ‘10

2. The triad of impairments Triad of impairments Communication (Sensory processing) Social understanding Flexibility of thought and behaviour

3. Recognising Autism in the Early Years What sort of behaviours might you see that could indicate that a child is on the autism spectrum ?

4. How do children with autism differ from their peers? • They are much less likely to understand the needs, views and feelings of others. • They are likely to find it more difficult to make friends, to form good relationships with adults and peers, and may need additional support to help them to learn to take turns and share. • They will have greater difficulty in using language, particularly joining in with conversations, and understanding jokes and non-literal language. Some children with autism may not speak, instead communicating in other ways, including through their behaviour.

5. How do children with autism differ from their peers? • They are less likely to explore new ideas and objects, and more likely to stick to what they know. • They are much more likely to be upset or confused by changes to their routine or environment, or by new and unfamiliar experiences. • They are less likely to play imaginatively, such as acting out characters in stories, and much more likely to play in quite a rigid way, in which actions are repeated over and over again with their favourite toys.

6. Case Studies • Ravi • Kyle

7. Partnership working • Working with parents • Understanding stress • Good open relationships • Listening to parents • Working with other services

9. Supporting Learning • Developing a profile of strengths and needs • Involving parents and other agencies • Monitoring progress

10. How do we communicate? • Use child’s name first, to get attention • Give choices • Break up instructions, reduce your language • Use ‘then’ to help child understand a sequence of events • Use ‘finished’ to help understand duration of an event • Say things in order in which they will happen • Tell the child what to do, rather than not what to do • Use visual ways to help the child understand • Give time for the child to process and respond to instructions

12. Entering the child’s world • Following the child’s lead, imitating sounds, movements. • Playing alongside, modelling play • Focussing on interactive play and early social interaction skills • Providing short bursts of structured play

13. Working with the child’s interests • Finding out – what? • Using interests to extend child’s experiences • Using interests as incentives/ rewards • Interests as a starting point for developing learning

15. Adapting the environment • Providing visual structure • Providing opportunities to make choices • Importance of routines • Opportunities for time out

17. Golden Rules • Understand the Autism • Reduce your language • Use structure • Change the environment • Reduce anxiety • Be consistent • Plan transitions • Use rewards that motivate the child