A language-learning tip from Dr. Greenspan: Create language learning situations for your child even if doing so gets them a little frustrated. Don’t simply give them a list of words to memorize or expect them to learn language by having someone model word usage for them. Children need to emotionally connect to words for those...
How often do parents feel that they have to choose between a happy child and a smart child? When should we stop the hugs and pull out the book? Why do we seem to feel like there’s never enough time? Dr. Greenspan’s research and experience showed him that the key is in valuing and treasuring...
This Greenspan Floortime advice is about helping children develop new ideas. One of the challenges many children with communication difficulties experience is coming up with new ideas or expanding on ideas they may already have. One of the best ways that we find to assist children in developing new ideas without giving them a new...
Discussion: As a clinician or therapist doing the family assessment, you will be able to sense if there will be a deeper resistance from the parents, states Dr. Greenspan. “They will speak about what they do and don’t do, and the ways they are comfortable or uncomfortable interacting.” After that happens, suggest that they try...
Discussion: “You always want to be following the child’s lead during Floortime and throughout the day,” says Dr. Greenspan. It’s important to remember to “never say no to a child with autism unless they are in danger; otherwise, we block the interaction, and that is where the affect is.” You don’t want to prevent the...
Discussion: “The key,” says Dr. Greenspan, “is to extend the circles of interaction.” Once a child is somewhat engaged, you always want to extend the circles of interaction and get more and more purposeful. Play dumb with the child so they have to extend the circles of communication. The ultimate goal is the continuous flow...
Discussion: “Help your child use their ideas functionally and introduce make-believe play; try to keep increasing the interaction,” emphasizes Dr. Greenspan. The world of make-believe is very important: the richer the pretending, the greater the creativity. Don’t bypass the pretending, or else you’ll lose out later on when you’re wondering why the child isn’t being...
If your child has autism, should you push them to play with you? Or, should you leave them alone? What should you do about self-stimulatory play? How can you create down time for yourself and your child with autism? There are different types of ways to create “downtime” if your child has autism, notes Dr....
