AUTISM

If you are reading this page, you are probably looking for effective treatments for Autism or Autism Spectrum Disorders.  You may be familiar with ABA, a common autism treatment and looking for answers as your child grows and develops.  Or you could be a parent with a child that has been recently diagnosed with a spectrum disorder.

My goal is to provide education and offer an additional option In treating social issues and anxiety related to autism.  I’m not an autism specialist, however I have found Theraplay to be effective in treating rigid thinking, anxiety with trying new things, impulsivity and social engagement with others. 

THERAPLAY

Play therapy has been around for decades, however it has received minimal public attention.  Therefore, you may not have heard of play therapy and its effectiveness in treating autism spectrum disorders.  Theraplay is a specific form of play therapy, emphasizing the importance of structure, nurture, engagement and challenge.  It is effective in treating impulse control, shyness, aggression, socialization, parentification, eye contact and transition difficulties. 

In October, 2011, the International Journal of Play Therapy published an article entitled, “A Practical Approach to Implementing Theraplay for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, authored by  Rachel Simeone-Russell.  Several research studies were identified by Simeone-Russell, showing Theraplay is effective in working through child defense mechanisms, such as pushing others away and avoiding socialization (Rieff & Booth, 1994); increasing awareness of peers, becoming comfortable with physical proximity, acknowledging positive attention and learning how to initiate contact with parents and peers (Bundy-Myrow, 1994) and developing engagement, interaction, communication, language and social skills (Lindaman & Booth, 2010).