Join pediatric speech-language pathologist Laura Mize, M.S., CCC-SLP of teachmetotalk.com for this podcast for CE credit for therapists as we differences in play skills for very young children with autism or red flags for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Do you recognize these behaviors in the young children you treat? 1. A child’s play skills are extremely delayed, meaning he plays much like a younger baby would play—mouthing, looking at, dropping, throwing, and holding toys—but not using familiar toys as they are intended. 2. A child’s interest in toys is restricted. He doesn’t seem to like toys. 3. A child doesn’t pay attention to toys for very long. 4. A child clearly prefers objects to people, but she doesn’t seem to know how to play with toys. 5. A child plays with toys in unexpected or repetitive ways. For example, he spins wheels on a train or lines them up, but he does not play with the train in other ways. 6. A toddler is not showing any signs of pretending while playing. 7. There’s been little progress during therapy due to poor attention or interest with toys. If you answered yes to these questions, a child you're working with has difficulty with learning to play with toys. Kids who don't play miss hundreds of opportunities each day to learn language and interact with peers. Research also tells us that toddlers with ASD who have better play skills are much more likely to have better language skills as preschoolers and throughout childhood. When we prioritize play, we begin to see changes in other areas of communication too! See show #405 at teachmetotalk.com for details!