Most children have difficulty waiting for something they want or that is motivating them. This difficulty is particularly difficult for children with autism and other developmental disorders. Pictures can be used to help children who are non-verbal or on the autism spectrum to communicate their wants and needs. The “Wait” picture support board uses 5 symbols in addition to a picture (PEC) of the desired activity or event. We can customize these pictures to meet each individual’s needs. This item is also very portable, making it easy to use at home, in the car, at school, or anywhere else.
To use: Place the picture support board with five to six “wait” symbols (stars or hand with “wait” written)on it in the child’s line of sight. Use verbal cues along with the symbols to help the child understand that s/he has to wait. Remove the symbols from the board one at a time as time passes; you will need to judge the pace pictures should be removed based on the amount of time needed to wait. Once the waiting period is over, have the child remove the last picture when s/he can visibly see the waiting period is over.