Summary of "ИГРЫ ДЛЯ РЕБЕНКА С АУТИЗМОМ. Удовольствие и польза"

Summary of “ИГРЫ ДЛЯ РЕБЕНКА С АУТИЗМОМ. Удовольствие и польза”

The video, presented by Kira, a special child psychologist and play therapist from Rostov-on-Don with 11 years of experience working with children with autism, focuses on the importance and methodology of using games to support children with autism. The key message is that games are not only fun but crucial tools for developing communication, interaction, cognitive, and social skills.

Key Lifestyle and Therapeutic Tips for Playing with Children with Autism

Start with Communication and Interaction

Developing communication and interaction skills is foundational to managing unwanted behaviors like aggression.
Children with autism often lack the tools to express needs or refusals, leading to frustration.
Games are the easiest way to build contact and joint activity, which underpin adaptive social skills.

Understand What Constitutes a Game

True games involve joint activity where both participants consider each other’s intentions and signals.
Solo play or simply giving toys is not sufficient for developing interaction.
Interactive games like tag, nursery rhymes, or simple motor games foster communication.

Common Adult Mistakes

Not accounting for autism-specific needs and interests.
Offering games that are too complex or uninteresting for the child’s current level.
Relying on authority or expecting the child to automatically pay attention.
Using toys to attract attention, which can distract rather than engage the child.
Lack of knowledge or experience in how to play with children with autism.
Adults not enjoying or engaging fully in the play, which children quickly detect.

Engagement Strategies

Be expressive: use wide gestures, facial expressions, and varied intonation to attract attention.
Avoid competing with furniture or other distractions—be the most interesting “toy.”
Remove distracting objects initially to focus the child’s attention on interaction.
Observe the child’s preferred sensory modalities (tactile, visual, auditory, kinesthetic) and incorporate these into play.

Building Play Skills Gradually

Start with very simple sensorimotor games lasting 5–20 seconds, focusing on:
- Maintaining the child’s attention.
- Encouraging the child to initiate repetition of the game.
Use physical, tactile stimulation (e.g., gentle tickling or pressing on ribs) combined with sound and movement to create a climax—the most intense, pleasurable moment of the game.
Gradually increase complexity by expanding the child’s tolerance for personal space and duration of attention.
Progress from sensorimotor games to object-based play and finally to simple story-based role-playing games.

Structure of Story-Based Games

Use simple plots with clear, one-act sequences involving 2–3 child actions.
Avoid complex narratives, choices, or dialogues at early stages.
Use clear, direct instructions and consistent stereotypical actions the child has learned.
Incorporate a climax in the game to maintain motivation (e.g., a “tiger” chasing the doll to the house).
Speech accompaniment is used to narrate actions, helping the child associate words with events and preparing for later verbal storytelling.

General Principles

The child should play for pleasure, not as a forced activity.
Build trust and partnership, not a hierarchical teacher-student relationship.
Use slow, gradual expansion of routines (stereotypes) to reduce anxiety and increase understanding.
Reinforce the child’s motivation by focusing on their interests and sensory preferences.
The adult’s role is to maintain eye contact, be physically at the child’s level, and adapt to the child’s responses.

Practical Examples of Games

Simple Sensorimotor Game
- Adult sits opposite the child, uses hand movements to tickle or press gently on the child’s ribs.
- Accompanied by high-pitched sounds and expressive gestures.
- The game has a climax moment (tickling) that the child anticipates and enjoys.
- Repeated several times, increasing distance and movement complexity gradually.
Simple Story-Based Game (“Taxi”)
- Child transports dolls from point A to point B (e.g., a house).
- After placing dolls, a “tiger” (adult or toy) chases the child back to start.
- This game incorporates learned stereotypical actions and simple narratives.
- Speech narration accompanies the game to build language and storytelling skills.
- No demand for verbal responses initially; participation is voluntary.
- Encourages sequencing, turn-taking, and understanding cause-effect.

Notable Points

Play therapy is a gradual, stepwise process starting from basic interaction to complex social skills.
The adult’s involvement, enthusiasm, and understanding of the child’s sensory preferences are crucial.
Avoid assumptions about the child’s abilities; build from the ground up.
The approach is supported by psychological theory (e.g., Vygotsky’s joint activity concept).
The course and methodology can be accessed online, with live practice sessions available.

Notable Speaker and Location

Speaker: Kira, psychologist and play therapist specializing in children with autism, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
Location: Rostov-on-Don.
Additional Resources: Kira offers courses and consultations online and provides further materials upon request.

Summary

The video emphasizes that games for children with autism should be carefully tailored to their sensory preferences and developmental level, focusing on building interaction and communication through shared, pleasurable activities. Starting from simple sensorimotor play and progressing to story-based games with clear structure and climax moments fosters social skills, cognitive development, and adaptability.

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Summary of "ИГРЫ ДЛЯ РЕБЕНКА С АУТИЗМОМ. Удовольствие и польза"