World Autism Awareness Day: Autism and Play

autism-awareness-wikipediaDespite all we’ve learned about children’s early brain development, we still have many questions. In terms of autism and play, how does autism affect play? Is play the same? Why are the numbers of children with ASD, that is Autism Spectrum Disorder, increasing? What can we do? How do we meet the needs of kids and families?

According to a survey of parents, “1 in 45 children, ages 3 through 17, have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).” This is a higher number than official government estimates. From being in a number of schools recently and talking with colleagues, teachers might report an even higher number of children with ASD.

For now, one of the things we can do is to keep asking questions. Personally, I would like to know about autism and play. The article, Play for children with autism spectrum disorder, has some great points that explain play for all kids.

We might think that play is just play, but there are different kinds. Early play is exploratory or sensory, like splashing in the bath, or spreading spaghetti sauce all over the table. Pushing a button on a toy to make music start, or banging a spoon on a saucepan is cause and effect play. (Another name could be driving-parents-crazy play.) Figuring out how things work is functional play. Kids will explore and sometimes take things apart. Because these kinds of play are stepping stones to more complex play, babies and young children may need support. For those with autism, support needs to be more direct and intensive.

Constructive play is just what it sounds like, building and constructing. This is play with blocks, puzzles, Lego, plastic containers, and drawing pictures. There is a goal or intention.

It’s no surprise that kids engage in physical play. Active, whole body play is crucial for brain development for all kids.

Pretend play, giving a sip of tea to a stuffie, wrapping up a doll or tractor in blanket, is a more advanced stage of play. This occurs in most children around the age of two and it, in turn, is the basis for social and interactive play. Pretend play is often delayed in children with ASD. Being able to pretend or imagine is a component of relationships. In order to understand another person’s view, we need to imagine how that person might feel. To encourage pretend play, we can act out and create stories and scenarios.

There are different stages of social play. At first, kids play alone – solitary, then beside others – parallel. Over time, around the age of 3, they will share and trade, interacting more – associative. Cooperative play is much more interactive, making rules together, deciding who will do what, and negotiating. This sort of play is much more intense. Children with ASD are likely to find social play far more challenging.

This overview of play can help all parents and caregivers support children. After all, play is how children interact with and learn about themselves, others, and the world. How does your child play?

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