Myomancy ADHD, Dyslexia and Autism

A Picture’s Worth: PECS and Other Visual Communication Strategies in Autism (Topics in Autism)

Andy, Ph.D. Bondy

$9.99 via Amazon

Most young children with autism have significant delays in acquiring communication skills, a hallmark characteristic of autism. But with intensive early intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis techniques, children can be taught how to communicate successfully, even before they acquire the ability to use speech.

A PICTURE’S WORTH examines the value of non-verbal communication strategies for children with autism, and presents the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in detail. PECS is a communication system that allows a child to use a picture (or series of pictures) to express his needs and desires without a prompt or cue from another person. Authors Bondy and Frost co-developed PECS during many years of experience working with children with autism, and now share their expertise in this easy-to-understand guide for parents.

After a thorough review of verbal communication development, A PICTURE’S WORTH explains how autism affects the acquisition and progression of those skills. Without the ability to express themselves, children with autism experience a high level of frustration, which is the root cause of many undesirable behaviors. The book explores the relationship between behavior and communication, teaching parents how to recognize patterns in their own child’s behavior and when to begin a visual communication program such as PECS.

The authors recommend that parents teach PECS in a succession of six phases. Each phase builds on the previous one, until a child is capable of constructing sentences with pictures to make requests and comments about his surroundings. The book provides many real-life case studies, along with a complete series of lessons, from beginner to more advanced PECS techniques.

There is no minimum age or cognitive level required for a child to begin learning PECS. While PECS is frequently used with children who are non-verbal, it has been used effectively with kids who speak, but do not initiate communication. And contrary to many parents’ concerns, PECS does not inhibit a child’s ability to acquire and use speech. A PICTURE’S WORTH promises the opportunity for most children with autism to acquire meaningful and effective communication skills.

People who have brought this book wrote:

It is truly frustrating when your child who should speak - can't speak. Just because they cannot speak - does not mean they DON'T understand. They do understand. It is just that they way of showing you they understand is not available to them yet.
This is a great book for helping you get introduced to PECS (Picture Exchange System) and scheduling. This book helped me get started on giving my autistic son WORDS he could not express.
With this book buy an inexpensive digital camera, plastic laminate and an inexpensive color printer because PECS will change your childs life. This book will help you get started.
We started PECS with Jeff just under three years of age. After 2 weeks he was making requests with single pictures and NO LONGER TANTRUMING BECAUSE HE WAS FRUSTRATED! HE COULD COMMUNICATE. Fast forward to age five and Jeff can read over 500 words, write sentences because he used PECS. PECS changed my son's life and made the beginning process of communication before speech possible.

(Happy ending, Jeff now speaks!)
Start here..

Buy this Book