title: Lessons that Linger: A 40-Year Follow-Along Note About a Boy with Autism Taught to Communicate by Gestures when Aged Six.
abstract: We draw on an article published in 1973 in this journal. We described how we taught "Geoff," a 6-year old boy with autism, an elementary form of sign language during the course of 24 one-hour sessions held over a 12-week period (Webster et al. in J Autism Child Schizophr 3:337-346, 1973; Fruchter in Autism: new directions in research and education, pp 184-186, 1980). Here, we describe how it is that Geoff has maintained the vestiges of what we taught him (and indeed what he taught us) over the long span. This basic communication strategy has endured well and continues to contribute to his enjoyment of life.
authors.affiliation: Child Development Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada. christopherwebster@sympatico.ca.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. christopherwebster@sympatico.ca.|Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada. christopherwebster@sympatico.ca.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.affiliation: Camp Winston, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fruchter
authors.affiliation: Kerry's Place Autism Services, South-East Region, Thomasburg, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Kerry's Place Autism Services, South-East Region, Thomasburg, ON, Canada.|Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Konstantareas
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sloman
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005868:Gestures; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012813:Sign Language; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Autism; Gestures; Sign language