Needs Tips On Getting My 3 1/2 Yr Old To Answer Yes/no Questions Please! - Autism Spectrum Message Board

reid'smommy · 12-28-2005, 11:22 PM

My 3 1/2 yr old son was dx w/mild PDD -NOS in Sept. He has begun receiving services through our school district. I would like to know if any of you have suggestions on strategies I could use to get him to answer yes/no questions? He is very verbal, affectionate, & very intelligent. He just has trouble communicating & does not answer questions at all. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Cherie

bercol1 · 12-29-2005, 02:21 AM

Hi Cherie
What we done with my son Anthony was - I would sit at one side of the table, and Anthony sat at the other and the therapist (or dad) would go behind him. We would then ask him a question (one we knew what he would answer) Question "Anthony chocolate yes or no". I would hold up a piece of chocolate. the therapist would then answer the question as if she was Anthony's voice. she would say Yes and then take Anthony's hand and take the chocolate we done this a few times and then ask the question and we would say or do nothing then if he had no verbal response we would just say "y" and see if we could get hin to say "es" he caught on pretty quick and soon the yes was coming. we then let him play around and at varies times through out the day repeat the question just so he could generalise we would use different things "anthony milk yes or no" we got friends and family to do the same, then in the same way we got him to say no. We had to promt him often with "Y" or "n" but he's now getting the hang of it.
I hope this makes sense but it did work for Anthony.
good luck
Bernadette

reid'smommy · 12-29-2005, 04:35 PM

Thanks so much for your advice - I will start trying it tonight!!!

jeffreys mom · 12-31-2005, 12:02 AM

My son is also PDD/NOS and sounds similar. Strange as it may sound, we actually have to teach them how to answer questions. It does not come naturally as it does with typical kids. We ask the question, then model the appropriate response phasing it down to a light prompt by starting the answer and letting him finish it then phasing it down to waiting until he answers it. Then it's practice practice practice. It needs to be ongoing and consistent but it does work. Good Luck

BetsyAnn · 01-01-2006, 10:28 PM

My son's speach therapist lent us a computer program that did the trick. It is called Autism & PDD: Yes/No Questions. After using the program for about 15 min. a day for just under two weeks he became a pro with the yes and no questions. Prior to using the program he had never said the word yes. He only used no to express anger. It is amazing how much broader his communication ability is just by adding those two little words. (We have also borrowed Concepts and Opposites from the same series but they haven't made the same conection. I am giving them a rest and will try them again later.)

If anyone is interested the Software is from LinguiSystems.