Customer Reviews

Helping Children with Autism Become More Social: 76 Ways to Use Narrative Play

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Dr. Densmore's book is a virtual roadmap for improving communication skills of kids on the autistic spectrum. The sub-title "76 ways to use narrative play" does not fully convey how you would actually use the book. The book has 4 sections, each corresponding to the social ability of a child. For example, the first section is entitled "First Contact" and gives progressively organized strategies for engaging with a child who may not yet have any true expressive language. The second section is "Joint Attention" which give strategies for children who have developed some expressive language but are still very rigid in their ability to engage with other children, insisting on controlling the play experience. The strategies presented in the third section "Child Initiated Reciprocity" are geared toward children who have begun to communicate and play like typically developed children but still need help sustating conversation. Finally, the longest section "Social Engagement" contains strategies to help autistic children take the perspective of their friends when playing (see the other's viewpoint).

This book would be appropriate for use by either parents or professionals working with kids with autism. I know first hand how well the techniques themselves work as my child worked with Dr. Densmore for 4 years. We started with a 5 year old with no expressive language. After 4 years, she was functioning pretty much as a typically developed child. She is now 16 years old and her peers do not know she is autistic. Even trained professionals fail to identify her in the classroom. I must admit that when we started seeing Dr. Densmore, I was a bit baffled about how playing with things in a doll house was going to improve my child's language skill. However, the improvement was very quick and got quicker as I started to get lessons on how to do my own play therapy at home between sessions. This book will prove to be an invaluable resource in helping kids connect with others. The individual strategies are simple to implement but the overall result is greater than the sum of the parts.

Go to any library or bookstore and you will find at least a dozen books on autism. This book stands alone in its practical and clear applications as well as its appealing narrative style. Ann Densmore--a brillant, seasoned clinician--describes the four phases that children with autism can move through with the right care. She tells you stories of many of her patients as their language, play and narrative skills progress as a result of her unique apporach: narrative play therapy. She joins children in their play and step by step helps them feel safe and find meaning in their families and schools. They learn to play with their peers and understand their own internal landscapes. Relatives, friends, clinicians, and educators of children with autism will find this an invaluble resource. It was nothing but a pleasure to read.

Mary Johnston, owner of Wordworks