When a child is typically developing by the age of 3 they will be using 3-4+ word sentences to make requests; comment on interesting things they see; ask & answer questions and direct those around them.
In direct contrast the nonverbal child with Autism at 3 years (unless intervention has been put into place by now) may be making their needs known by taking familiar adults by the hand; leading them to the location of what they want and using the adult’s hand as a ‘tool’ to access what they want. The nonverbal child with Autism at 3 years may indicate preferences by pushing away / throwing what they don’t want and ‘accept’ what they do want.
When I’m first meeting a nonverbal child with Autism I spend time observing what communicative behaviours they use to navigate the world around them and access what they want. I make note of particular behaviours e.g. flapping hands; whole body rocking back and fourth; whether they bring items close to the corner of their eyes and move them away & back and how the child plays (do they spin the wheels of their favourite truck rather than push it back and fourth; do they make stories with their favourite toy characters or line them up).
I then begin to sit adjacent to the child and simply exist. I stop taking notes and I begin to breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. If they are rocking back and fourth I will rock slowly back and fourth; copying their breathing pattern as much as I can. If they are vocalising I will quietly copy the sounds they are making and leave brief pauses. What’s crucial at this stage is I am not expecting the child to do anything: I have zero targets for them right now.
I was lucky enough to attend my Intensive Interaction training approx 12 years ago and I see it as the cornerstone to all my therapy. For me Intensive Interaction is all about earning the respect of this 3 year old child (or any other child; adolescent or adult) and at the most basic level demonstrating to this child that whatever they currently do to communicate is valuable. If you’re a parent you’ve likely been applying the key principles of Intensive Interaction with your newborn (and growing) baby: you watch them and attach meaning to each and every thing their little face does; you poke your tongue out to match theirs; you copy their coos and you simply spend hours every day immersed in their world and demonstrate respect for them.
Comment below if you have any advice; suggestions or questions!