Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Toys That Help Autistic Kids Using The Multisensory Approach

One of the emerging techniques in helping autistic kids develop their sensory and motor skills is the multisensory approach, which uses baby toys and games that encourage the child to make use of two or more senses together. When you're selecting the right toys and games for an autistic kid, you should find products that produce music or some kind of sound when they're touched or pressed. For instance, a teddy bear that says "I love you" is a good idea for a toy to give to a special child. Other suggestions are included in the following discussion about educational and nurturing products for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Some children with autism learn when presented with visual cues along with sounds. So, a therapist may hold up cards with colorful illustrations while saying the words printed on them. When a child with ASD has the ability to focus on visual stimuli even for a few seconds, this technique has a chance of improving the child's cognitive functions. As an alternative, the toy itself makes the sound, such as a pre-recorded voice speaking the word. This is most common with electronic toys that produce animal sounds when the child presses the key with an image of the animal.
However, among baby toys that are best used during a multisensory training with an autistic child is the set of nine blocks in the Plan Toys pack. The set includes three visual blocks, 3 auditory blocks, and 3 blocks for kinetic learning. Each block's surface has a different feel to encourage the child to identify various textures based on touch. The other blocks must be handled with an adult present to guide the child when determining the differences between the visual cues, verbal cues, and tactile sensations.
Auditory and olfactory senses are another pair of sensory stimuli that help kids with ASD control how they interact with their environment. A set of visually arresting cards that have been printed with colorful images of common fruits also contains small packets that exude the scent of each fruit. These common fruits include banana, apple, orange, and strawberry. A second set that works the same way contains images of foods, such as chocolate, milk, cheese, pizza, and ice cream. After learning which scents are associated with foods or fruits, the child may point to the cards to indicate the kind of food he or she wants to eat. Even when the child hasn't learned to speak the words yet, this ability to recognize objects visually is a great leap towards helping an autistic kid in developing cognitive functions.
Encourage positive interaction that strengthens bonding with your kids through creative play. Guide them through their discovery of the world around them using educational baby toys and nurturing products for children with special needs. Find them all at http://www.limetreekids.com.au where kids and parents can learn from each other.
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