Last weekend, Small LP and @librarypigg came to stay. Small LP has made incredible progress in his language and play recently; since I have known him he has always told himself stories; originally in jargon that we rarely understood; more recently in understandable language. His stories often involve repeating lines from films and cartoons, but he now mixes characters and situations from his favourites; for example:

“Come on Luke! Follow me! Light sabre! Come on [Tree Fu] Tom! Come on! Follow me you guys! We go to the castle! Fighting men. There better.”

This epic was acted out with an imaginary light sabre for Luke Skywalker and acting out Tree Fu Tom’s magical moves (see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyhr_Pyq7sA).

However, he has just started to use toys and physical objects in his imaginative play. The photo above is him taking some wrapping paper (which I hide from him, as he used to destroy it; however he found this behind a bookcase) and wrapping up a range of objects: the TV remote control, a packet of batteries, his socks and some toys) and carrying it into the bedroom where @librarypigg was having a lie in. He got into the bed, and said “Look Daddy! Christmas!” He then excitedly unwrapped the present, exclaiming over everything in the parcel.

In neuro-typical children, imaginative, “pretending” play generally happens around 2 years old. It is very important in children, as it involves practising social, language and communication skills, and it is one that many children with severe autism do not develop without intervention. I have commented on Small LP’s play, and asked him questions. He and I have acted out sword fights with cardboard tubes. @Librarypigg and I join in quoting from cartoons and talk about them while we’re all watching them. But we haven’t set up specific activities for him. This is developing naturally, and considering that 10 months ago Small LP was almost non-verbal, this is exciting and wonderful.