Would my child benefit from More Than Words?

More than words or the Hanen program is a parent training program specifically for the parents of children with autism. Only Hanen trained Speech Therapists can offer this program. The goal of the program is to develop communication play and social skills.

More than Words is based on the theory that children learn to communicate best in their natural environment through every day interactions. Parents are the best people to encourage this as they are with their children for the most amount of time.

Program structure

The program consists of 8 group information sessions and 4 home visits. The group sessions are 2 1/2 hours long. There is also an initial orientation evening to make sure parents understand what is involved in the program before they commit to it.

At each group session parents will be provided with "to do at home sheets" so that they can practice what they have learned.

There is an initial home visit to allow the therapists to observe how the parents and child are communicating. The other 3 home visits are conducted after every 2 or 3 group sessions.

During the home visits the speech pathologists will video the parents using the techniques that they have learned. The videos are then watched during home visits and group sessions so that parents can evaluate how their child is responding.

What will we learn?

The Hanen Program allows parents to identify their child's communication stage (where are they developmentally) and shows them how to move their child onto the next stage. The program uses easy to remember acronyms to teach parents their unique strategies to develop communication skills, play skills and social skills.

This program will be very useful for parents who would like to take an active role in developing their child's skills.


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