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Autism Teaching Methods: DIR®/Floortime™

Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a child psychiatrist in the Washington, D.C., area, has developed a form of play therapy that uses interactions and relationships to teach children with developmental delays. This method is called the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based model, or "DIR®/Floortime" for short. Floortime is based on the theory that autism symptoms are caused by problems with brain processing that affect a child's relationships and senses, among other things.

With Floor Time, the child's actions are assumed to be purposeful. It is the parent's or caregiver's role to follow the child's lead and help him develop social interaction and communication skills.

For example, a boy may frequently tap a toy car against the floor. During a Floortime session, his mother may imitate the tapping action, or put her car in the way of the child's car. This will prompt the child to interact with her. From there, the mother encourages the child to develop more complex play schemes and incorporate words and language into play. Floortime is more child-directed than some teaching methods. Its goal is to increase back-and-forth interaction and communication between child and adult.

Some school systems are incorporating this strategy into their programs, but usually do not make this their primary means of educating preschool-aged children with autism or PDD. With its strong emphasis on social and emotional development, the Floor Time method may be a natural complement to a behavioral teaching program ─ such as Applied Behavior Analysis or Verbal Behavior ─ or to a TEAACH program.

Floortime is being used by some families who prefer a play-based therapy as a primary or secondary treatment, especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Floortime advocates say it can be used along with other therapies.

Research into Floortime is continuing. A randomized, controlled study is underway in Canada to determine the effectiveness of intensive DIR/Floortime treatment for one year and two years.

In a 2005 study, Dr. Greenspan and Serena Wieder Ph.D. reported on 16 teens who had responded favorably to DIR/Floortime therapy in their early childhoods. Ten to 15 years later, these boys had "healthy peer relationship and solid academic skills," according to the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders (ICDL), which Dr. Greenspan chairs.

Floortime DVD Training Series, The Basics: Relating and Communicating by Stanley Greenspan M.D. and Serena Wieder Ph.D. This two-disk set teaches the basics of using the Floortime Method to teach your child. Floortime DVD Training Series. Set 2 Sensory Regulation and Social Interaction for families who've moved beyond the basics. FloortimeDVD Training Series. Set 3: Symbolic and Logical Thinking completes their training series.