What do behavior therapists mean when – referring to the behavior of a child on the autism spectrum — they say, If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, its a duck!?”
What they are saying, for example, is that if a child gives the outer appearance — by correctly enunciating words — of knowing what he or she is saying or reading, then, indeed, that child has this understanding — We have a major problem with this formulation as applied to children on the autism spectrum — or for that matter when applied to any child. We have seen far too many children with autism utter spoken words perfectly or even seem to “read” complex sentences and yet totally lack understanding of what they are saying or reading, to accept the “duck” analogy. In other words, like the walking and quacking ducks that turn out to be decoys, these children may seem to be communicating or getting meaning from printed words, but really are not. Being able to say the words correctly is one part of the job. But, only when the child truly understands everything that he or she says or reads — and can demonstrate that understanding — does the child have a foundation on which to advanc
Related Questions
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- What is the chance that a younger brother or sister of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will also have an ASD?
- Do children with autism play differently?
