2.5 year old boy with an inability to listen and follow any directions

Meltdowns, inability to listen and follow any directions, wild behaviour and throwing things, lack of bladder control when excited. No verbal language.

2.5 year old boy. Family had English as second language and spoke minimal English at home (he did not have any verbal language). He was later diagnosed with Autism, but his mother was unsure about this diagnosis.

Sensory processing difficulties in the areas of vestibular (whole body movement awareness) and auditory processing. He had poor self-regulation, engagement and interaction, and very delayed language and play.

Based on a combination of DIR/Floortime and sensory integrative strategies. initial intervention aimed at improving self-regulation by working through his senses. At the same time therapy was working to engage him in back-and-forth interaction. This included the use of visuals to aid communication and to help him become organised. When ready, therapy expanded into play-based work to expand his emotional awareness, problem-solving, imaginative play and
sequencing skills. His mother was encouraged and supported in modelling these strategies to use at home. She did so, extensively playing with him at home.

When discharged after approximately 18 months of weekly, then fortnightly, then monthly treatment, he was calm, regulated, engaged and reciprocal in play. He was problem-solving readily and had a wide repertoire of imaginative play skills that flowed and made sense. He was talking fluently in Polish and was beginning to communicate in English.