Meet Emily, a lively 4-year-old girl awaiting an autism diagnosis. Emily faced numerous challenges: she struggled to interact with others, often not responding to her name or following instructions, and had difficulty recognising the presence of others. At daycare and home, she would take toys from other children and her siblings, causing conflicts within her large family. Emily had limited language skills, often resorting to screaming or crying to express her needs. Her parents were concerned about her ability to cope with school, given her frequent meltdowns and short attention span. 

Goals and Challenges 

Emily’s therapy focused on several key goals: 

  • Sustaining interactions and sharing in play. 
  • Acknowledging the presence of others. 
  • Developing pre-linguistic skills, such as understanding the cause-effect relationship in communication. 
  • Building vocabulary with simple words like “more,” “stop,” “go,” and “want.” 

The Play-Based Approach 

Emily’s intervention involved a child-led play-based approach rooted in early childhood intervention principles. This included significant parent support, education, and coaching. One effective strategy was intensive interaction, where the therapist and parents would mimic Emily’s actions, such as banging a train on the table, to build an awareness of cause and effect and show acceptance of her play style. This approach helped Emily recognise that others were sharing in her activities and responding to her cues. 

Education was crucial for daycare educators, parents, and other caregivers to ensure consistency in Emily’s therapy. Parents and carers were taught early language strategies, like describing objects (“Oh, a RED car!”) rather than asking questions, to help Emily build her vocabulary. 

Positive Outcomes 

The play-based therapy led to remarkable improvements for Emily and her family: 

  • Improved Understanding: Parents felt better equipped to understand Emily’s needs and behaviours, which helped them regulate their own emotions and feel less overwhelmed. 
  • Advocacy and Support: With a clearer understanding of Emily’s needs, parents could advocate more effectively for her. 
  • Reduced Meltdowns: As Emily’s communication skills improved, her meltdowns decreased. She learned to use words like “more” and “open” to express her needs, reducing frustration. 
  • Enhanced Interaction: Emily could maintain attention and engage in play with familiar adults for extended periods, such as sitting and playing with trains for five minutes. 
  • Increased Engagement: Both Emily and her parents found greater enjoyment in their interactions, making playtime a positive and enriching experience. 

Emily’s journey with play-based therapy showcases the transformative power of early intervention. By embracing her world and using tailored strategies, Emily and her family have made significant strides in communication, interaction, and overall well-being. 

LiveBig can support people like Emily by providing Play-Based Therapy services across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Townsville and Perth. If you’re looking to get in touch with one of our experienced allied health clinicians, we’d love to hear from you to see how we can help.