Embracing Play: Teaching Your Child with Autism

Intended for parents of children newly diagnosed with autism-spectrum disorders, this excellent program offers instruction in how to teach autistic children through play. While other children approach new toys with curiosity, the autistic child can become overwhelmed and withdrawn. “Object Focused Play” is one technique that provides incremental learning opportunities as parents observe and mold their child's natural interests into conventional play activities (the keys to success are gaining the child's attention, modeling imitation activities, and providing consistent motivation). The program also looks at “Expanded Play,” a more advanced step in which parents and child play pretend games that encourage imagination. Providing three 90-minute sessions daily may prove difficult for working couples, but the tape shows the amazing progress children make under this regimen. My only quibble is that while emphasizing the importance of early therapeutic intervention, the program fails to mention the free services available through many state programs. Aside from that, this relatively inexpensive video (compared to other programs about working with autistic children) is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Reagan)