COMMUNICATION
Scripting : Out with the Borrowed , and In With a New Tale
By Beth Ann SHANKS , MS , CCC / SLP
Let ’ s go back to a moment when your child shared a story that was not his / her own and was disconnected from that present situation . Give yourself the luxury of a short daydream . First , focus on your child ’ s adorable , precious face . Next , fill in the scene that you just imagined . Include your shared words or story and the scripted story your child launched .
Now , let ’ s examine the reasons why a child with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) scripts others ’ stories .
Many of you who are raising a child with autism have experienced this moment . You attempt to have a connected conversation , or perhaps just a word or a phrase . You feel the moment slip away as your child shares a favorite movie script or a phrase instead of connecting to you . “ Feel ” is the key word in this scenario . You may “ feel ” puzzled by the sudden shift in attention , determined by your desire to draw out a connected response and / or frustrated by your unclear plan on how to make this happen .
As a speech and language pathologist with 40 years of experience , my passionate mission is to share some proven tips and strategies that can help make this connection a reality . When I share this message at my office , I usually receive blank stares from parents , as they often have trouble envisioning this . Then , we get to work . Slowly , I can see that faraway look replaced with a look of empowerment , a look that says , “ I got this ! I have a plan I can use to help create more and more connected conversations !”
20 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 65