P.L.A.Y. stands for Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters. According to the media information provided on the project's website, the mission of the P.L.A.Y. Project includes:
~Promote early identification and early intervention
~Educate community regarding National Academy of Sciences recommendations:
~~Begin interventions early (18 months to 5 years)
~~Use intensive intervention 25 hours per week
~~Have a teacher/play partner to child ratio of 1:1 or 1:2
~~Use interventions that are engaging
~~Have a strategic direction (e.g. social skills, language, etc.)
~Use community based approaches to promulgate Developmental, Individualized and Relationship-based interventions (DIR®)
~Support families in a parent-professional partnership
~Scientifically evaluate effectiveness of program
We are participating in the final part of the mission: the scientific evaluation of its effectiveness.
Our journey began a few months ago when the Autism Society of McLean County sent an e-mail on behalf of our local Easter Seals. They were looking for families with children under age 5 to participate in the study of the P.L.A.Y. Project. I was first contacted by Jim Runyon at Easter Seals for a phone interview. He sent me some information about the different areas of the study and asked many questions about Max. Over the past few months, I have completed instruments that have assessed me as his primary caregiver (one parent has to be selected for that) and Max. We both went to Easter Seals for some baseline information gathering.
This week, a P.L.A.Y. Project consultant came to our home and did some baseline videotaping of Max engaging in play from a box full of materials. April, the consultant, will be working with us for the next two years as we implement the facets of the project. She will leave us with three goal areas to work on for the month. From her observations in her first visit, she left us with these three P.L.A.Y. suggestions about engaging in play with Max:
1. Be with him. (power of the pause...no words needed)
2. Keep language simple - no more than 2 word sentences
3. Mirror his actions in play
During the day, we are to find 2 hours to engage in play with Max. This time can be broken up throughout the day. During these times, we are to be mindful of her three suggestions. She noticed that in the videotape, I used a great deal of verbal with Max when we play, but he shuts me out after two or three words. He's done. That's where suggestion #2 came from. Now, for those who know me, you know that will be the most difficult part of the month... :)
Mirroring his actions in play is actually really interesting. Tonight, Ignatius and I both mirrored him taking a chopstick and pretending he was in a car wash (the photo is of Ignatius playing with his brother). We laid down on the floor beside him and copied what he was doing, sound effects and all. It was fascinating how much he engaged. For about an hour (half with me and half with Ignatius) he repetitively played, re-enacting one of his favorite activities. The chopstick was the water pipe that sprays water and cleaning fluids on your car during the wash.
He was completely engaged while we were playing with him, and that's a tough thing to say about Max, especially about that duration of time. We were meeting him where he was, allowing the control of the play to be his, almost being "permitted" to enter his world of play. It was completely different from the play we usually try to force on him. I am really interested to see where this goes, and I am very glad that he was chosen to be in the intervention group, rather than the control group. More to come!
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