Kariel Thompson, a Los Angeles-based (SLP), assesses and treats children with developmental disabilities and communications disorders. Kariel Thompson’s expertise includes treating children with autism to help them with socialization.

One of how an SLP therapist can help a child with autism in understanding social cues embedded in the language is through pretend play. Pretend play incorporates games that show them how to use one object to represent another, including words. Through pretend play, words represent people, objects, abstract ideas, physical states (tired, hungry, or hot), and emotions (frustration, anger, or happiness). At the same time, this approach assists with foundational cognitive skills.

In its strictest sense, pretend play involves the therapist performing some action and then pulling the child into the conversation. However, some SLP experts believe that children should enjoy and be engaged in the activity to benefit from it. For example, a mother sits on the ground with her child surrounded by the child’s favorite dolls. She then watches the child pick up one and hug it. The mother mimics the daughter while waiting to see how the child responds. This exercise allows the daughter to take cues and actively engage with the mother.