PECS for children with Autism

[nappyaddict]

I have been doing a course with NAS and the suggestion of using PECS has come up. But am I right in thinking they are more for people with quite limited speech as in single or maybe 2 word sentences? DS (4) is speech delayed for his age but he can easily string a sentence of 8 or 9 words together. It's not proper unstilted conversation yet but he's a lot more advanced than other children in his SS reception class.

PECS teaches the purpose of communication, rather than the use of language. If your child is forming his own sentences and using language to communicate (eg request items purposefully - ie directly to an individual rather than at random) then it does seem a little impractical. I know kids though who need them to help them organise their thoughts by visually placing a sentence in sequence and then saying the sentence.

It does sound as if it's probably not right for your child - PECS can be useful for some pre verbal and minimally verbal children but the problem is that there is now such a head of steam built up behind the PECS program that it can be thrown about like confetti - too many mixed metaphors I know !

nappy I know a bit about your ds from your long standing posts and I would say that I think PECS could be quite helpful to him. He doesn't need to use it for long, but it teaches about the benefits of communication and how it is important to address someone, not just talk to the air.

BUT, it is absolutely pointless if it isn't done correctly, so do check the qualifications of the people training you or delivering it directly.

Stark From what in my posts do you think it would be most helpful for? Can you give me examples of how we could use it in the best way?

School have said he doesn't use them at all there really. If he wants something accessible he will get it himself or it he can't get it himself he asks for it.

I don't know nappy. It's more an impression, but if he is asking for things then he has moved on from how I remember.

How does he ask though? Does he use names? Will he say 'mummy, please can I have a drink?'

or will he say to the wall or air 'want drink, drink DRINK!'

Stark He will come and find me if I'm in another room and needs something rather than just saying it to the air of the empty room he is in.

For example, I was in the kitchen today and he came from the playroom to say

"Put telly on"

But he didn't use my name nor ask using can you.

He will also say things like

"I want biscuit"
"I want drink"
"I want porridge"

ds was similar at that age. I could not see what PECS would do to move things on as although a good system per se, it does not go beyond requesting in short sentence strips and as said above, is mainly to kick start actual communication not to teach language. I am sure there are better ways to use visuals for your ds' language development.

He will also say "You get me a drink", then if you don't reply straight away "I want drink" then "drink, drink, drink" the more impatient he gets.