My Fun Buddy Book

Autism Strengths & Interests

Short Summary of Strengths & Interests

• Vocabulary development
• Caregiver-child interaction
• Spatial awareness

Is good at matching visual items

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Encourage finding the same body parts (head, ears, nose, feet, etc.)

Has a good memory for sensory details, including visual, touch, taste and smell

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Encourage finding soft, fuzzy, smooth, etc. Look for colors and body parts.

Has a good memory for words, phrases and dialouge

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Memory for body parts, animals, textures, colors and shapes can be encouraged.

Has a good memory for pictures, numbers and patterns

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Each page has three parts that can make a whole animal (pattern). The child needs to identify the correct combination of parts.

Likes to put things in order or a sequence

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Each page has three parts with the animals head, tummy, and feet. The child can create the intended "buddy" or a new animal with different body parts.

Learns through visualizing or "replaying" actions in their mind

This game is not appropriate

Likes activities with rules, such as math and phonics

This game is not appropriate

Is very concrete and literal

This game is not appropriate

Learns in small "chunks" (for example, phone numbers are 3 chunks of number xxx-xxx-xxxx that are combined together)

This game is not appropriate

Is good at nonverbal reasoning and logic

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Creating animal bodies requires memory and logic.

Likes spatial problem solving

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
There are many spatial components to My Fun Buddy Book. Children learn top, middle, bottom, front, back, and terms related to position ("his ears are on top of his head")

Can read well with good vocabulary, though may not fully comprehend content

This game is not appropriate

Likes to use and has good fine motor skill

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
Motor coordination is needed to turn the sections of the book, but as this is an interactive process with the caregiver, this should not be a problem.

Likes established routines or set ways of doing things

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
The book can be shared in an established way the child prefers.

Likes manipulating, constructing or building things

Is This Game Appropriate? Yes

Description
The book encourages manipulation.

Likes to use and has good musical abilities

This game is not appropriate

Likes to use and has good drawing skills

This game is not appropriate

Autism Special Considerations

Appears to ignore other's communication and/or has difficulty giving eye contact to a communication partner

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Children do not have to give eye contact to share the book. Joint attention to the book is the most important aspect.

Has difficulty understanding complex verbal directions

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
There are not directions for My Fun Buddy Book. It is up to the parent to discuss the pictures, colors, body parts, etc.

Uses vocabulary inaccurately or demonstrates echolalia (repeating another's speech)

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
The child's language is an opportunity for the parent to label different aspects of the pages in the book. If the child imitates the parent, the parent can reinforce the word usage. "Yes. That is his ear."

Gets stuck repeating a verbal topic or physical actions and/or has difficulty attending to others' actions or topic.

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Most children of this age will not be maintaining a topic, but caregivers can encourage the child to use the sounds and actions of the animals in the book (barking, jumping).

Has difficulty producing speech/communication

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Caregivers can use simple signs for animals and body parts when reading the book. Also, allow children to point to the animals, body parts, colors, shaptes, etc.

Has difficulty sequencing multi-step actions and/or doing complex abstract tasks

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Most of the sequencing is too high level for infants, but if children understand body part sequences, they can help put body parts in order.

Demonstrates difficulty initiating and maintaining social interactions

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Social interactions are key to the use of My Fun Buddy Book. Follow the child's lead, looking at what they are looking at, commenting on what they are focusing on, and labeling animal, body part, color, etc.

Acts out or demonstrates avoidance behaviors when frustrated, overwhelmed, or needs more sensory input.

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
If the child shows emotional reactions to interaction with the book, don't push joint interaction. Leave the book where the child can interact with it alone. When the child pays attention to the book, comment from a distance so they do not feel pressure to interact.

Has short attention span for non-preferred activities

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Just look at one page. Follow the child's lead if they want to look at more. Use increased affect and expression to hold attention. Use gestures and animal actions and sounds to keep it interesting.

Needs sameness or consistent routines and/or has difficulty with transitions from one activity to another

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Once you find the sequence the child likes for sharing the book, maintain the same routine.. Give the child wait time for them to cue the next exchange.

Has difficulty understanding others' feelings, intentions, and the reasons for others' actions.

Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes

Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes

Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Understanding the feelings of others is not needed, but the caregiver can point out the animals' expressions and emotions. Also, point out the child's emotion as you discuss this..