Floortime Approach to Autism

As a parent of a child with ASD I found it frustrating to implement some of the behavioral directives in treating a young child with autism. I wanted to find a way to have meaningful interactions with her that were not conditioned. This frustration ignited me to continue researching other viable options and that is how I stumbled across Engaging Autism: Helping Children Relate, Communicate and Think with the DIR Floortime Approach. This book was written by Dr. Stanley Greenspan after successfully working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Written in manner that it can be used as a tool for parents and providers, this book offers theories behind the causation of autism and strategies to help create meaningful interactions with a child with ASD. One of the things we were able to implement immediately was a concept within the Floortime Approach that allowed us to enter our daughter’s world in order for her to begin to enter ours.

The process was quite simple: Stop, observe the child, and then think of a creative way to be present in her activity of choice. This could be as simple as observing the child rubbing a blanket corner, then you sit down quietly next to the child and begin rubbing the blanket next to the child’s fingers. Observe the child, does she acknowledge you? If yes, even if it was a slight glance, you just engaged the child! The protocol guides you to do this type of interaction numerous times a day.

I was amazed that she responded immediately. I saw my daughter fiddling with the remote control of a fire engine, so I came down onto the floor with in the space she was playing. I “walked” a 3 inch baby doll closer to the fire engine; she spontaneously picked it up and started to move the baby up and down the fire engine ladder. WOW, she rarely used imaginative play!

I sat and watched her for a few minutes then picked up a small mommy doll and had her stand at the bottom of the ladder. My daughter stopped and looked at me, then moved the baby up the ladder and yelled, “Help!” I responded, “Baby, are you okay?” To my surprise she answered me, “Yeah, I ok.” This went on for about 15 minutes. Our first interactive play ever!

I found entering her world this way to be easy. Since that day we have had many meaningful play interactions through my entering her world through her interests while following her lead. I have found this to be a great technique with my older child as well. When she is doodling or journaling, I will sit down next to her and start doodling too... before I know it we are writing notes to each other or drawing on a single piece of paper. She is more apt to open up to me and share when I use this approach.

So often I see a therapist come in with an agenda. My advice to therapists, educators and to parents, whether you are interacting with a child with ASD or a typical child, try entering their world and see how much more you can accomplish.