Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) with Elefun

[[5-year-old child with autism. Just recently began spontaneously saying and initiating using his first-words. Began speech-language therapy at our University clinic in June, 2012. Participated in therapy for 6 weeks (3x week, 45 mins each)]]

Elefun game: The clinician engaged child in play with the game “Elefun" (c)(Hasbro) This game involved a battery-operated elephant that blew fabric butterflies through its long trunk. child got very excited and jumped up and down as he watched the butterflies come out of the trunk. The clinician established a play routine with child. He requested “on” when he wanted the elephant turned on. Once all the butterflies flew out of the trunk, he requested “off,” and the clinician turned the elephant off. Next the clinician placed her hand on the elephant like she was going to open it. child requested “open,” and the clinician opened the elephant. Both child and the clinician picked up all the butterflies and put them back inside the elephant. The clinician withheld some of the butterflies to elicit words like “butterfly,” “red,” “green,” and “yellow” from child. Once all the butterflies were back inside the elephant, the play routine started over.

Single-word targets included Elefun, on, off, butterfly, red, green and yellow. Two-word targets included trunk on, and clean up.