Developing communication and increasing choice

When Gautam joined Park House School, he found expressing his needs and coping with disruptions to his daily routine challenging. Working in collaboration with Gautam and his family, on the issues that mattered to them most, Gautam has now gradually increased his communication skills, while also expanding his interests and reducing his reliance on rigid routines.

A collaborative approach for lasting change

After speaking with Gautam’s parents, a gradual approach was initiated by Park House School. Gautam’s team helped him to explore new interests both at school and home, gradually increase his patience when waiting, be open to alternative options, and increase his ability to tolerate minor disruptions to his routine. They also supported Gautam to express his desires and needs using complete sentences such as “Can I have/I want.”

Visible progress and improved communication

Gautam has started to communicate more effectively and spontaneously, using 2 to 3 word vocal requests with increased clarity and volume. He has begun to use his voice to ask for desired items and activities more confidently and frequently and will now independently approach adults to share his needs.

“It is surely a huge improvement that Gautam [is] not only accepting others in his comfort zone but also interacting well.” (Gautam’s Dad)

The improvement in his communication has also led to the frequency of his behaviours that challenge significantly decreasing – a change which has also been noticed by his parents at home. His parents are delighted at his newfound interest in helping with household chores such as making dinner and snacks, sweeping the floor and cleaning up.

“Happy to report the apron is consistently in use and fully accepted at home too – he asks for help with the button now too.”

(Gautam’s Mum)

Ongoing support and future goals

Gautam’s parents and Behaviour Analyst remain in close contact, regularly sharing updates on his progress. Together, they are working on helping Gautam to expand his interests, further improve his communication and build patience with changes in routine. These goals are crucial as he prepares for his next step – moving to Tram House School. To help him feel more comfortable and ensure a smooth transition, Gautam and his family have planned to take short trips to the school before he starts in September.

The excellent progress that Gautam has made is a testament to the power of personalised support and dedicated efforts tailored to individual needs. As Gautam continues to grow and express himself more effectively, we remain committed to supporting families on similar journeys to foster resilience and helping them navigate their future with confidence.

Feeling inspired? Why not head over to our careers section and see how you can help more children like Gautam by applying for a role with BeyondAutism? From teaching and therapy roles across our services, to positions in our central charity team, there’s something for everyone.