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Vol. 20 • Issue 10 • Page 11
Clinicians in the Classroom
Memory Books for Children with ASD
Hope Brennan, CCC-SLP
Posted on: May 17, 2010
One of the tenets of early intervention is to provide services to the family in the community. Going out into the community can be wrought with uncertainty for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Producing a memory book can give them the courage they need to take the first step in bringing their child into a public setting.
Visual picture systems help students cope with transition difficulties, improve comprehension of oral information, accept established rules, and better regulate their behavior. This contributes favorably to learning readiness skills.
Therapists can photograph an initial outing to provide an organizing aspect for the caregiver and help generate targets for future intervention. They should plan on short, multiple exposures to an event before requiring full participation. For example, a trip to the library might be for the sole purpose of photographing the sequence of events. Photographing other children engaged in the behavior for review lays the foundation for children with ASD to imitate the actions of neurotypical peers. It is surprisingly easy to obtain permission from parents to photograph their child for the stated purpose of teaching another child who is having difficulty.
When taking photographs, the objective should not be for labeling or other rote memorization drills but to teach sequences and review the parent-child social language that is inherently rich in emotional and abstract meaning. Some caregivers need help generating appropriate language, such as "And then mommy said, 'Sit down.'" Provide written guidelines for parents to use when reviewing the memory book, with the goal of having children see themselves following and possibly experiencing again a directive, "You held onto daddy's hand."
Photograph aspects of the outing that are rich in shared parent-child exchanges rather than a simple inventory of associated items. For example, show a child being placed in the seat of a grocery cart and buckled in, with phrasing such as "Mommy put you in the cart, and you put your seatbelt on." Photographing the interior of a store can cue a child to the sequence of "And then we went inside." Showing the parent selecting produce or canned goods can later be reviewed for "We put food into the cart."
Photos should capture the routines involved in the outing: waiting on line, putting items on the belt at check-out, paying, loading groceries into the cart, going through the parking lot, getting in the car, and driving home. The purpose of the trip is not to accomplish a specific goal but to familiarize the child with the process.
Therapists can use a digital camera and online photo processing service to edit and produce a memory book for a minimal fee. If the outing is likely to increase in complexity and variability, such as a trip to a grandparent's house, coach the parents in building a book themselves. They can buy an inexpensive photo album at a dollar store and add photos as the duration of the event increases. The visit can be extended from having a snack with grandpa to doing a puzzle with him or going for a walk and then having a snack.
A memory book can help "clarify expectations, support under?standing of activities (e.g., the sequence of steps and end goal of an activity), support emotional regulation, and create natural and motivating opportunities for participation and communication."1Prior to an outing, review the memory book with children and rehearse the directive and descriptive language they will hear. Make sure to use much of the same phrasing during the outing. This provides experiential learning and helps build memory and broad expectations for recurring events.
Building a library of these books allows the entire family to participate in therapy sessions. Once parents and siblings are trained in targeted language and concepts, they can share a book with a child.
Reference
1. Prizant, B.M., Wetherby, A.M., Rubin, E., et al. (2006). The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Hope Brennan is on staff at the Center for Spectrum Services in Kingston, NY. She can be contacted at
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