When I saw this article come up on the Hanen website, I just knew I had to share it! We all know how discouraging and exhausting it can feel to try to engage in interaction with someone who doesn’t seem interested in talking to us or playing with us – whether it be a young child, a colleague, even our spouse at times!! (My husband would say that I can relate – everyone that knows me knows that I can literally talk all.day.long. Often, I get tuned out by my communicative partners – husband included – leaving me to talk to myself while no one is listening anymore. In all honesty though, I can’t really blame them, it’s that bad…lol).
The important thing to remember is: when it seems difficult to engage our children in interaction, whether it be to play or communicate, it is likely not because they are uninterested in doing so, but rather that they need to be given many examples and models on how to do so. This is especially the case for children showing early signs of autism. This great article highlights that the more we talk to our children and try to engage with them, no matter how they seem to be developing – even if they are on the spectrum – the greater impact we have on their language development. Therefore, never stop trying – you become one step closer each time. (And to all my friends and family: I know you are always listening!!) 😊
Christine Demers,
Speech-Language Pathologist, reg. CASLPO
