PROMOTING COMMUNICATIVE DEVELOPMENT

1. PROMOTING COMMUNICATIVE DEVELOPMENT Merlin L. Taylor, Jr., Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCBA-D Speech-Language Pathologist Behavior Analyst Aspie

2. THE TRAIN SLOWS DOWNA Mathematical Model of Central Nervous System (CNS) Development

3. Reception • Expression • Bottom-Up (Receptive)and Top-Down (Expressive) • Perception • Planning • Memory • Intention • Ideation

4. Reception • Expression • Bottom-Up • Perception • Planning • Reception • Exteroception • Proprioception • Memory • Intention • Ideation

5. Reception • Expression • Bottom-Up • Perception • Planning • Exteroception • Picking up external stimuli (e.g.: sound, touch) as sensations through specialized receptors (e.g.: ears, sensory nerve endings) • Memory • Intention • Ideation

6. MANAGE THE SENSORY ENVIRONMENT • Balanced sensory input, a.k.a. “sensory diet” • Prevent overstimulation • Prevent understimulation

7. Reception • Expression • Bottom-Up • Perception • Planning • Proprioception • Sense of body • Sense of relationship between body parts • Sense of body in space • Memory • Intention • Ideation

8. PROMOTE PROPRIOCEPTION Possibly the most fundamental deficit in autism!

9. PROMOTE PROPRIOCEPTION Possibly the most fundamental deficit in autism! Where is me?

10. PROMOTE PROPRIOCEPTION Possibly the most fundamental deficit in autism! Where is me? Stimulate body awareness through

11. PROMOTE PROPRIOCEPTION Possibly the most fundamental deficit in autism! Where is me? Stimulate body awareness through Physical activity (e.g.: gymnastics, horse riding, tai chi)

12. PROMOTE PROPRIOCEPTION Possibly the most fundamental deficit in autism! Where is me? Stimulate body awareness through Physical activity (e.g.: gymnastics, horse riding, tai chi) Specialized clothing (e.g., pressure vests)

13. PROMOTE PROPRIOCEPTION Possibly the most fundamental deficit in autism! Where is me? Stimulate body awareness through Physical activity (e.g.: gymnastics, horse riding, tai chi) Specialized clothing (e.g., pressure vests) Other aspects of “sensory diet”

14. Reception • Expression • Bottom-Up • Perception • Planning • Perception • Assessment of sensations processed through the CNS for • timing • quality • intensity • novelty. • Memory • Intention • Ideation

15. Facilitate Sensory Processing

16. Facilitate Sensory Processing Minimize competing and distracting inputs Figure/ground Signal/noise

17. Facilitate Sensory Processing Minimize competing and distracting inputs Figure/ground Signal/noise Optimize desired inputs e.g.: use of FM systems to facilitate auditory processing

18. Facilitate Sensory Processing Minimize competing and distracting inputs Figure/ground Signal/noise Optimize desired inputs e.g.: use of FM systems to facilitate auditory processing Provide patterns of sensory input where possible Visual-spatial patterns Tactile patterns Temporal patterns

19. Facilitate Sensory Processing Minimize competing and distracting inputs Figure/ground Signal/noise Optimize desired inputs e.g.: use of FM systems to facilitate auditory processing Provide patterns of sensory input where possible Visual-spatial patterns Tactile patterns Temporal patterns Promote proprioception

20. Reception • Expression • Bottom-Up • Perception • Planning • Memory • The final processing and storage of present and past sensory experiences • Memory • Intention • Ideation

21. Facilitate Memory

22. Facilitate Memory Utilize repetition Be mindful of threshold for cognitive overload

23. Facilitate Memory Utilize repetition Be mindful of threshold for cognitive overload Utilize sensory associations Employ multiple media—being mindful of threshold for sensory overload Avoid noxious associations as much as is possible

24. Facilitate Memory Utilize repetition Be mindful of threshold for cognitive overload Utilize sensory associations Employ multiple media—being mindful of threshold for sensory overload Avoid noxious associations as much as is possible Utilize semantic associations “Chunking” units of similar meaning

25. Facilitate Memory Utilize repetition Be mindful of threshold for cognitive overload Utilize sensory associations Employ multiple media—being mindful of threshold for sensory overload Avoid noxious associations as much as is possible Utilize semantic associations “Chunking” units of similar meaning Provide patterns of sensory input

26. Reception • Expression • Rote Learning • Perception • Planning • Memory • Intention • Ideation

27. Reception • Expression • Goal of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)? • Perception • Planning • Memory • Intention • Ideation

28. Reception • Expression • NOT WHERE COMMUNICATION IS CONCERNED • Perception • Planning • Memory • Intention • Ideation

29. Reception • Expression • THE TOP • Perception • Planning • Ideation • Ultimately making sense of sensations • Memory • Intention • Ideation

30. Making Sense of Sensations

31. Making Sense of Sensations Comparing present sensory inputs with sensory memories

32. Making Sense of Sensations Comparing present sensory inputs with sensory memories Integrating these into consciousness and determining meaning

33. Making Sense of Sensations Comparing present sensory inputs with sensory memories Integrating these into consciousness and determining meaning Building concepts from those meanings, and symbolizing these concepts in language THE SENSE WE MAKE OF SENSATIONS—FROM OUTSIDE AND ESPECIALLY INSIDE THE BODY—LARGELY FORMS THE BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS—CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS. (Parvizi and Damasio, 2000)

34. MOST FUNDAMENTAL OF ALL IDEAS “I”

35. Three FUNCTIONS OF SELF (Taylor and Randolph, 2005) Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

36. Development ofSelf in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

37. Development of Self in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

38. Development of Self in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

39. Development of Self in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

40. Development of Self in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

41. Development ofSelf in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

42. Development of Self in the Mind of a Child with Autism Self-Construction Self-Actualization Self-Conservation

43. Helping the Self Develop • Self-Construction • Promote proprioception • Use names frequently • Use personal pronouns with visual cues • e.g.: pictures, pointing

44. Helping the Self Develop • Self-Actualization • Find personal strengths and promote these • Provide safe opportunities for interpersonal communication • Provide positive feedback using specifics • not just “good job” or “awesome” • e.g.: “What a colorful picture,” “What a happy song!”

45. Helping the Self Develop • Self-Conservation • Make the environment friendly • Identify and minimize* threatening or noxious stimuli • (*As much as is possible) • Progressively desensitize

46. Developing the Self “I”

47. Developing the Communicative Self “I”

48. Developing the Communicative Self as in…

49. Developing the Communicative Self “I am” “I FEEL” “I think” “i need” “I want” “I can” “I will” “i do” “i ask” “i declare”

50. Developing a Mind for Communication Help the child to find a self Allowthe child to find thingsto talk about Assure the child that self-expression is safe