Engaging Autism: Helping Children Relate, Communicate and Think with the DIR Floortime Approach (A Merloyd Lawrence Book) [Hardcover]

Stanley I. Greenspan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 28, 2006 | Series: A Merloyd Lawrence Book

The inspiring success of Dr. Stanley Greenspan's unique approach to autism and ASD (autistic spectrum disorders) is known to grateful parents and to professionals throughout the world. Now at last his highly effective and influential program is presented in one clear and accessible volume. A number of innovative, exciting features distinguish Greenspan's approach to autism:First, his program has demonstrated that children with signs of autism or autistic spectrum disorders do not have a fixed, limited potential, but in many cases can join their peers and lead full, healthy lives, emotionally and intellectually. Secondly, his approach can be applied at a very early stage, when signs of autism first appear. Thus, the hope of preventing the full onset of autism becomes a real possibility. Third, the approach empowers the entire family to promote their child's development throughout each day. Also, the DIR Floortime approach guides the efforts of speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and educators to work with the family and builds on the latest research on the development of the mind and brain. As cases of autism continue to rise worldwide, Dr. Greenspan's extremely successful Floortime approach is producing very promising results that could one day stem the tide against this dread disorder. No one involved in the care of children with autism, parent or professional, can afford to be without this landmark work.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Greenspan and Wieder (The Child with Special Needs) start out by redefining autism in realistic yet positive terms which open the door for successful intervention: instead of focusing solely on the autistic spectrum, a more flexible axis measuring progress, on which placement is not fixed, can give parents and children a "a healthy developmental trajectory," taking into account such goals as "showing intimacy and warmth ... communicating with gestures ... and talking meaningfully." The authors give readers a pragmatic approach to thinking about people on the autistic spectrum, including specific ideas for enhancing connectivity and communication in people of any age, most of whom "rarely advance intellectually above the ten-to-twelve-year-old level ... when they could progress far beyond the level of concrete thinking," if only there were a curriculum that would "challenge them to do so." Most of the text is used to help develop an engaging program for someone with autism, including resources and examples, in order to address "relationships, specific behaviors, the creative use of ideas, and the various processing areas." This is essential reading for caregivers, parents and friends of people on the spectrum, as well as compelling reading for anyone who wants to learn more about autism.
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Review

Blogcritics.org, 3/26/09
“A must read for parents, caregivers, teachers, physicians, psychologists and psychiatrists who have been frustrated in their attempts to help young and older children with autism. Its methods will give all of them more than just a ray of hope.”

Mid-Ohio Valley Parent, June/July 2009
“For parents looking for new ways to work with their autistic children, this book would be extremely helpful.”

Toronto Globe & Mail, 5/21/11

“This large, useful book offers a good overview of ASD.”

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books (March 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738210285
• ISBN-13: 978-0738210285
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #235,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 102 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Autism and Floortime April 4, 2006

By Lynne Roberts

Format:Hardcover

This is a detailed look at a difficult subject but for the parent of a child with autism it is one of those stones that should not go unturned. Dr. Greenspan makes the extraordinary claim that he has treated thousands of children and adults with ASD and has never seen one that could not be moved forward on the spectrum, not even one. In many cases they have been be able to join their peers in full healthy emotional and intellectual lives.

Dr. Greenspan is no quack. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at George Washington University Medical School. He and Dr. Serena Wieder have spent the last twenty five years developing the approach they call Floortime. Their thesis is that all learning begins with emotion. The tiniest infant typically bonds and begins to communicate with its mother because it finds that communication pleasurable and desirable. Each little step in the process represents a foundational building block required for the next step. Children with autism have missed some of those building blocks. The idea behind Floortime is to meet the child wherever she is emotionally. Find what the child likes to do. Join her in the activity. Follow her lead and establish an emotional bond that can be used to communicate in a way the child finds pleasurable. That in turn can allow her to put some of the missing foundation in place. Over time the child moves up on the spectrum.

I find Dr. Greenspan's success stories inspirational. My four year old grandson has made remarkable progress in the two years since he was diagnosed with autism. He plays with his peers, makes strong eye contact, and laughs with his dad. But for the past six months or so he seems to be stuck on a language plateau. He hasn't regressed, but beyond asking for what he wants he is distressingly quiet, rarely engaging in conversation though he loves to sing. And his stimming has gotten worse. Don't bother to look it up. You won't find it in Webster's, not even in the unabridged edition. It's what Greenspan calls self-stimulation and Weston's mother calls sensory overload. Weston dances on his toes in what Mom and Dad call his happy dance. He also paces incessantly back and forth in a little trot. He is excessively excited and that appears to be interfering with his therapy. If I understand Greenspan, he would see it as an opportunity. Weston does that because it makes him feel good. So dance with him, sing with him and if he wants to trot, trot. Let him share his pleasure with you. Turn it into a game. It could be a non-verbal game that would help him develop an appreciation for non-verbal cues such as tone of voice, body language, even flirting. It just might add a foundation building block. That would be a wonderful thing.

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Big payoff for a method schools can't do. Surprised? November 19, 2006

By Peter Pan

Format:Hardcover

My daughter is 8. We did the early intervention from age 2,Kind. and 1st grade. School goals were to make her autism not so obvious by teaching her to be quiet in class and follow a schedule. I found a mom who did her own consulting. Her daughter started non verbal at age 2 like mine. However, she used Greenspan and her daughter is amazing and in a reg. Kindergarten with no shadows. Very articulate, executive functioning (planning etc) is excellent. When asked how she did this she replied I worked my "blank" off! You would be amazed at what floor time accomplishes. We got pretty normal eye contact in a month. When you imitate them they look at you. She has learned nouns, not nouns, verbs, pronouns... When I read Greenspan I found a wealth of ideas for all kind of situations and I needed stories to see how to do it. She doesn't need much chair time except some of homeschooling. I want a kid who argues with her brother, can whine like any kid. I want her to play and make friends. Remember, be a kid yourself,laugh,have fun during therapy. Your presence has to be the reason playing is more fun. Read Greenspan. I did like the second book better. My husband and I have seen such huge positive changes. You begin to take for granted what didn't exist before. Isn't that nice? Greenspan keeps it functional, real life teaching in the moment! P.S. The disciplinarian teaches nothing. Knock off the military mindset.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential resource for parents and professionals April 16, 2006

By Lindsey Biel

Format:Hardcover

Engaging Autism provides clear, practical information on how parents, therapists, and other caregivers can use the DIR/Floortime Approach to help children with autism spectrum disorders. As a pediatric OT and author of a book on sensory integration issues, I really appreciate Dr. Greenspan's explanations of sensory modulation difficulties and sensory and emotional overload and how these problems interfere with development. He examines a few of the many challenges posed by sensory issues, such as potty training and mealtime, and offers some good strategies, including working with a knowledgeable occupational therapist. This excellent resource helps parents start asking the right questions about what approach to use to help the child with ASD, provides useful advice on handling everyday problems, and offers current brain research and efficacy studies about the DIR/Floortime approach.
--Lindsey Biel www.sensorysmarts.com