How to Introduce PECS

The success of introducing PECS to a child requires persistance, willpower, determination and a good introduction!
When you have a child who does not use functional communication - you will undoubtedly meet resistance as you begin to make demands for items your child desires.
Simple as it may seem, exchanging a picture for an item will not come naturally. Your child will resist the change in your behaviour to begin with - below are some tips for starting PECS, use these to start the process.
So where to begin?
What has to be realised by your child is that communicating is useful.
Learning to come to you and communicating functionally to get things is a whole new behaviour - so how can you start this relationship?

1) Start by organising play things, favoured items and food/drink in such a way that you child has to come to you to get them. For example:

•  Place favourite snacks in a bowl - you hold the bowl and give one piece at a time to your child. This way, they have to come to you to get good things.
• Put toys in a small bag or box i.e. cars for the play garage, or toy animals - give your child one at a time.
• Give lots of praise every time they come back to you.
• Try to do this for everything they like/need and tell close family members and teachers to do the same.

What do you do when your child wants the bowl or box just to themselves?? They don't get the bowl or bag to themselves - tough love needed for this! Your child will soon learn that the only way to get things is to come directly to you.

Next, introduce PECS. Either by photo or image, make up your pictures by laminating them if possible and introduce them 2 or 3 at a time.

2) Pair the item or toy with each picture by placing them on top - say the name of the item when you match them.

• Hold the item and picture together in your open hand - ask your child 'What do you want?'
• When you child reaches for the item - offer it to them and say the name i.e. 'Ball'
• Give lots of praise 
• Hold out two pictures with two items in you hands - ask 'What do you want?'
• When your child reaches for an item give it to them, saying the name of the item.

3) Introduce picture exchange with individual items:

• Hold out a picture and the matching item close to you in your other hand
• Teach your child to 'Touch' the picture to get the item - do this 'hand-on-hand' to begin with.
• When your child touches the picture - give the item immediatly, naming the item and giving them lots of praise.

4) Introduce picture exchange for choices:

• Offer a choice of two items using the pictures only
• Have the items in a box or small bag - let your child see you have them
• Ask 'What do you want?' and prompt your child to touch the picture
• Give and name the chosen item and give lots of praise

Practise this with added items once the favoured items are mastered.
Adding the name of the item each time will encourage language development. When your child begins to use the label of the items, keep using pictures until the word is clear, then fade the prompts and PECS.
Remember to place yourself between your child and the item they want.


Read more about Comunication and PECS here: http://www.hometrain.ie/child-communication.php
There are PECS images at Hometrain, go to: http://www.hometrain.ie/resources/ and you can print or save from there.
Repetition is the most useful advice, persist with PECS and don't give up - the first weeks are tough, but stick it out and you'll get there!

If you need any more advice on PECS, you can contact me: info@hometrain.ie

Claire.