Enhancing the communication development of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders

In addition to the many strategies that have been highlighted in the literature as beneficial to enhancing the language and communication development of children with autism, specific areas of development have been pinpointed as possibly serving as critical targets for intervention. Specifically, early nonverbal communication skills such as gesture development and joint attention have been a focus of recent research (Capone & McGregor, 2004; Carpenter, Pennington, & Rogers, 2002; Crais, Douglas, & Cox, 2004; Dawson et al., 2004; Siller & Sigman, 2002). Early links between gesture and joint attention development and later language abilities suggest that intervention aimed at ameliorating early delays in these developmental areas have the potential to impact later language and communication development. Whalen and Schreibman (2003) found that behavioral modification treatment was successful at teaching the children with autism in their study to respond, as well as initiate joint attention bids. Although the authors acknowledged that it was difficult to determine if the children had learned a behavioral response for requesting or if they were truly intentionally using gestures for social sharing, the authors indicated that the children in their study initiated spontaneous joint attention bids in different settings with their parents who were not trained in the behavior modification program. The authors suggested that the behavioral intervention program increased the social awareness of the children with autism thus influencing their desire to share with others.
Additionally, research has been conducted examining the effect of peer-supported play in increasing joint attention (Zercher et al., 2001). Results indicated that peer supported play was successful at increasing the joint attention skills of two twin boys with autism. In this study, the children with autism were paired with typically developing children who were considered to be “expert” play partners. The play partners were trained to facilitate interactions with the two boys with autism during free play activities. The results indicated that participation in an interactive play group with “expert” play partners increased the boys shared attention to objects. In addition, increases were found in the number of play acts produced by the boys with autism as well as the number of verbal utterances produced by the two boys. One explanation provided by the authors for the increases observed involved the motivation of the boys with autism. The authors suggested that by fully immersing the boys in play where they were expected to be partners in a play situation, the boys were more motivated to participate and therefore more aware of the social interaction.