Supporting communication for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can be challenging, as behaviors often serve as a way to express needs or feelings. By understanding these attempts and teaching meaningful ways to communicate, caregivers can reduce frustration and strengthen connections.
Upcoming Webinar: Supporting Your Child’s Communication
Webinar: “My Child Is Trying to Tell Me Something—How Can I Help?”
April 2 | 6:30–7:30 PM
Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Cost: $20
This virtual session will provide caregivers with practical tools and guidance to better understand their child’s communication attempts and learn strategies that support positive behavior and meaningful communication. You can learn more about our Caregiver Education sessions here or sign up to save your spot for April 2nd here!
We’re Here to Help
Here are some simple strategies to start supporting your child’s communication today:
1. Model Communication
Children learn by watching and hearing language in action. Caregivers can model simple words and phrases throughout everyday moments, enriching their environment with a variety of vocabulary. For example, if your child reaches for a snack, you might say, “You want a snack? Let’s get a snack! How about some fruit? Maybe crackers? Let’s have a snack and read a book.” You can use a variety of descriptive words, talk about the color, shape, size, how it smells, how it feels.
2. Respond to Communication Attempts
Acknowledge and respond to every attempt your child makes to communicate. This could be a gesture, like reaching for a toy; a sound, like a grunt or hum; pointing; or using an AAC device or other communication tool. Responding with encouragement such as “I see you want __” or “Thank you for showing me what you need/want” allows children to know they’ve been understood and motivates them to keep trying!
3. Use Positive Reinforcement
In ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), positive reinforcement involves giving a reward immediately after a desired behavior to increase the likelihood it will happen again. For communication, this can take the form of verbal praise, attention, or providing the requested item. For example, if your child says “help,” you might respond with “Great job asking for help!” while assisting them. You can also add descriptive language: “I see you need help putting on your shoes, let’s do it together!” Consistently reinforcing communication in this way teaches children that expressing their needs effectively leads to positive outcomes, encouraging them to use these skills more frequently.
Get Started Today
If you would like to connect with a member of our team to learn more about play-based therapy options for your child, we encourage you to reach out. The team at Little Spurs Autism Centers is here to support your family and help your child build meaningful communication and life skills.
