We chose play from Affect Autism

The last batch of episodes have discussed development and the developmental approach. We’ve covered how development happens spontaneously and cannot be taught, and how when the right conditions are in place, development happens. But what does “development happens” look like and what comes along with these changes? To help us unpack developmental changes, we have the privilege of being joined by  M...

In a developmental approach to autism, a good relationship will help you interpret a child's intentions and guide behaviour. Intentions can be misinterpreted when behaviour doesn't match. Knowing the child's intentions helps the child feel understood, reducing anxiety and behavioural outbursts. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear th...

This episode is another example of a 20-minute Floortime session.  Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2017/01/31/analysis/ Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism member for bonus content and support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: ⁠⁠ https://affectautis...

Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https://affectautism.com/2017/01/31/analysis/ Caregivers: Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network for support from a like-minded community of Floortimers here: https://www.icdl.com/parents

This episode, I wanted to share a wonderful series on YouTube called Special Books for Special Kids . Read about the creator Chris Ulmer’s story of how it got started here . I think he is a natural Floortimer! Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2017/01/24/sbsk/ Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network...

This episode is a complement to last year’s post entitled,  Motor Planning and Sequencing Challenges in Children with Developmental Differences  which was a brief overview of motor planning and sequencing challenges. This time, we dive right in with a lot more detail with  Maude LeRoux , DIRFloortime® Expert Training Leader and Occupational Therapist who runs  A Total Approach  clinic in Glen Mill...

In DIRFloortime® we “follow the child’s lead”. This statement has been one of the most misunderstood aspects of the practice. It does not mean that we just follow whatever the child is doing. We talked about this  before , but now we will explore what it means in a bit more depth. Link to the full blog post with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the podcast here: https:...

This episode, I'm sharing 10 Floortime tips Jake Greenspan of The Floortime Center in Bethesda, Maryland gave us when we visited with our autistic son in order to promote his growth and development. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2016/09/06/10-floortime-tips/ Consider joining our DIR® Parent N...

“Early intervention” for Autism in Ontario (in Canada) has been in the news non-stop in 2016. The focus has been on who gets funding, but the most important topics have been left out of the conversation. This episode we cover patient-centered outcomes, parent choice, and disability rights. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠...

Attunement in a developmental approach to autism and developmental differences, like DIRFloortime®, is being emotionally connected with your child and all that they seem to be experiencing in the moment, sharing it together without judging or having an agenda about behaviour. When you are emotionally connected with your child, you automatically and intuitively take a respectful, developmental appr...

Scaffolding in the DIRFloortime® approach for developmental differences including autism means that you provide just enough assistance to ensure that your child is successful at something, without "doing the work" for the child. Scaffolding is helping your child to feel supported and confident along the way to autonomy. By providing our child with the feeling of achievement and success,...

The goal in DIRFloortime® for children with developmental differences including autism is to challenge the child with just enough playful tension, while keeping in mind where they are developmentally, and that the child stays emotionally invested in it with you, “like driving with your foot simultaneously on the gas and brakes”. Being slightly bored and sitting in that place of tension and subdued...

Before children reach the capacity to be abstract in their thinking, you have to take the responsibility for their behaviour rather than punishing or expecting them to control their impulses. Once children are abstract, they are capable of understanding that other human beings have experiences that are different from their own, so you can set limits and discuss appropriate behaviour. Compliance al...

Especially early on, parents can be completely overwhelmed by the grief that accompanies a new diagnosis or birth of a child who requires extra support. When grief hits, it can be completely immobilizing. This episode presents the Grief Recovery Method, which is a series of steps one can take towards resolution. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or h...

Parents can find it challenging to implement DIRFloortime® with their child. This episode, we look at why this is the case by exploring the barriers that exist for parents. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: https://affectautism.com/2016/06/07/barriers/ Consider joining our DIR® Parent Network or becoming an Affect Autism mem...

Floortime is a developmental practice that can be used by caregivers anytime, anywhere to promote relating, communicating, and thinking in your child with developmental differences. The video here shows how you can use so-called "down time" in a car ride each day to get a rich interaction with your child that promotes development in a fun, playful way. Link to the show notes with links t...

An ideal DIRFloortime® program includes many components and therapies suited to the child's individual sensory, physical, and learning challenges where all caregivers & therapists are working on the same developmental goals using the same Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR®) approach to promote social emotional growth and development. Link to the show notes with...

We present a tool from the User’s Guide to the DIR® Model , the book we discussed a few episodes back, co-authored by Dr. Andrea Davis of the   Greenhouse Therapy Center in Pasadena, California. We discuss the practice of self-reflection, which you can use in your Floortime sessions. I reflected on the Floortime session with my son, completed the worksheet, and discussed with Dr. Andrea Davis the...

Setting limits with development in mind with children who have developmental differences, including autism, means being firm with compassion, warmth, empathy and respect. Being attuned to our children's emotional experience is the key to seeing their behaviour as communication, which will help us be a helpful, empathic guide rather than a dictator around disruptive behaviour. Link to the show...

Last time, we covered how  emotions are key to affecting autism . This time we’ll talk a little bit more about that. Specifically, let’s discuss how essential it is to respect the emotional experiences and expressions of our children. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠ https://affectautism.com/2016/03/15/emotional-expressio...

This episode discusses the importance of emotions in the DIRFloortime® approach for children with developmental differences, including autism. By making room for our children’s emotions, we take their side so they feel safe with and trust us. Our children's behaviour is impulsive and not intentional, so we must allow all emotions to be expressed without consequence, support our children to nam...

In the Developmental, Individual differences, Relationship-based (DIR®) model and Floortime, we can keep our children in a longer back-and-forth interaction by slowing down and using non-verbal communication, affect, staying in the moment, waiting and watching, avoiding questions or directions and watching the cues our children give us. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points an...

We can support children with developmental differences, including autism, begin to make logical connections between ideas by challenging them to wonder about events (why, what, when and how) and emotions in themselves and others using the DIRFloortime® approach. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here: ⁠ https://affectautism.com/20...

This episode features an interview with Dr. Andrea Davis about her co-authored book, Floortime Strategies to Promote Development in Children and Teens: A User's Guide to the DIR® Model that supports parents and practitioners to promote the emotional, social and intellectual development of children with developmental differences including autism. The specific strategies allow us to outline the...

Expand the emotional range of a child with developmental differences to promote symbolic understanding and emotionally-rich pretend play by modelling different positive and negative emotions in different play scenarios to prompt a reaction from your child that you can help them work through. Link to the show notes with links to key discussion points and other ways to view or hear the episode here:...