What is the PECS method?
The method PECS stands for “Picture Exchange Communication System”. Thus, as its name indicates in English, the PECS method is a communication system by exchange of images. It is not difficult and simply requires an appropriate environment, as well as respect for the different stages that characterize it. It empowers children (and adults) with autism – as well as anyone with communication and social interaction difficulties – the power to communicate.
Parents.fr met Lori Frost, speech therapist and inventor of PECS, passing through Paris. The perfect opportunity to learn more about this method …
Parents.fr: How did the PECS method come about?
Lori Frost: We created it with my husband, Andy Bondy, who is her psychologist. It goes back to 1985, when we were working together on a program to help young children with autism communicate. We have developed the PECS method to overcome the communication difficulties that we encountered with these children. Asking them to talk, to show us what they wanted or even to use sign language, all of that is very difficult for some autistic people. So we had the idea of an exchange of images to communicate. It was much easier for them.
Parents.fr: Concretely, how do you proceed?
Lori Frost: The child must have images at his disposal to ask for what he wants. We induce a communication, while waiting for him to ask. It is he who must initiate the exchange by taking the image and giving it to us in order to have what he wants. And we realize that the children are happy to be able to communicate and make themselves understood.
Parents.fr: Does the PECS method really bring results?
Lori Frost: Of course! In 20 years of practicing PECS, I have only known two autistic children in my career who did not understand the method. We can even say today that 75% of children under 7 who have used the PECS method have been able to access language. We also realize that behavioral disorders disappear. Today, PECS is practiced in 27 countries and can be applied without problem to autistic children from 10 months old.
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