#134: Autism Case Study Series - Part 4

Welcome to the fourth and final part of my Autism Case Study Series. I am going back over my last 20 years of experience in public education, non-public programs, and teletherapy working with autistic learners. The last learner I want to talk about is a 3 year old boy that I saw in-home with my private practice, ABA Speech. When I first began services, the child had received an autism diagnosis, was not yet speaking, and was attending ABA services. After two years of working with this child, he had begun to speak in sentences and enjoy group activities.I saw this child weekly for 35 minutes of instruction and 10 minutes of parent coaching. In my very first session with this learner, I focused on Joint attention using my 3 pronged approach: Music, Books, and Play. We sang Wheels on the Bus with motions, we read Pete the Cat, and we played with bubbles! These are some of my go-to resources. The child at first was not engaged or interested at all, but I continued to observe and take data, and engagement increased over time.We even saw this child’s first spontaneous word during a play section of therapy. Playing with mini objects in a bag, the child reached in and pulled out a miniature shoe and said the word “shoe”! After that, engagement continued to increase. We played with miniature objects in many different ways, shaking them up in bags and hiding them in the learning space. This series has been designed to help you resonate and feel inspired to help your clients or children develop a way to communicate with the world. What do you think of solo shows? Send me a DM on Instagram, an email, or please take time to leave a review. Stay tuned for the launch of my community membership coming in Fall 2023; send me an email if you want to get in early.  #autism #speectherapyWhat’s Inside:Speech services for toddlers with autism.The 3 prong approach to joint attention.Learning through music, books, and play.From not yet speaking to spontaneous language.How to structure in-home therapy.Mentioned In This Episode:Start Communicating Today- Toddler and Preschool Course