As a child, we all begin communicating with a cry, letting the parent know that ‘I’m hungry’ or ‘I am feeling uncomfortable’. Over the years, every child picks up different ways of expressing their needs, through crying, laughing, indicating what they need. They also learn ‘gestures’ and words from their environment, to describe different things. 

But often, we tend to focus on developing the ‘verbal’ skills, while the non-verbal communication slowly fades. At times, individuals with autism or other developmental disabilities may require additional support in verbal communication. Picture schedules can serve as valuable tools to facilitate communication, especially when verbal expression remains challenging. The use of Picture communication also brings an element of fun to the learning process, and helps reduce the anxiety associated with communication. 

Modes of using Picture Communication:

1. Picture schedule: This involves using pictures to create a sequence of the steps involved in an activity or a series of all the tasks set for the day. Here are some samples:

Daily schedules(Morning Routine, Night Routine, Toileting, Brushing and Bathing)

• Communication cards( Request, Instructions and Feeling cards)
• Emergency cards(Emergency needs)
• Vocabulary cards: People, Everyday needs, Food items, Games, Body parts, Basic colours, Basic shape, Stationary items, Household items, Animals, Vehicles and Places to visit.
• Functional activity cards: Games and Activity choices.

2.‘Now, next and then’ boards: Parents can list activities by using visual pictures, or by simply drawing things on the board, and indicating the time required for each activity. For example, Ramu is playing with the cars, but soon it’s time for dinner. On the ‘Now’ section, draw or use a visual for the car and on the ‘Next’ draw a dinner plate and knife and fork. Top tip – If the dinner plate alone is not motivating enough, try drawing the part of the food you know your child likes, i.e. sabzi. To know more, read this blog on ‘First-Then Boards’.

3. Sign language: This includes the use of sign language to communicate words. Some children find it easier to communicate non-verbally, through gestures and signs.

4. Assistive technologies:

Picture communication can also be used through apps like Jellow and Awaaz, which has a list of visuals that can be used for communication.

Reinforcing healthy behaviours:

• Sometimes visuals have been used to offer rewards for a task being completed. A reward is used to encourage the child to complete the task.
• For example, the ‘now’ section might be sorting shapes and the ‘next’ section offers a reward – the light-up toy. 
• Here, the visuals are used as an encouragement for the child to complete the task. This means that we need to get creative and consider whether the activity is offering the following:
  • Is it fun?
  • Is it adapted for their level of development?
  • Is it visually engaging?
  • Is it an irresistible invitation to play? Is it motivating? 

Will using Picture Communication affect my child’s speech development?

• One of the primary concerns of parents while using Picture Communication is that the child may regress in ‘speech’ development or ‘verbal’ development. While it is good to encourage your child to learn new words and develop their vocabulary, what is more important is that they learn to communicate in whatever form possible. 
• We may have encountered multiple instances when we fail to find the right word in a sentence, leaving us feeling twitchy at the tip of our tongue. Imagine the frustration of a child trying their entire lifetime to find the right way to express themselves.
• Please keep in mind that the use of visuals enables your child to communicate better and reduce the frustration that comes from not being able to express themselves. It is important that we provide them with the right resources and environment for development.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this article is for information purposes only.