Tickling Therapy for Hunter

 

January 10, 2013.

Hunter absolutely loves to be tickled.  I have turned this into a therapy game for him.  Our goal for Hunter is to start making eye contact when he needs or wants something. 

The first tickle game that I started with Hunter started with him sitting on the floor between my legs facing me.  Initially I started with my hands right in front of him and in order for me to tickle he had to touch my hand.  Once he mastered the touch then I made him grasp my finger.  Once he mastered the grasp he had to grasp and pull my hand towards him.   Here he is grabbing and pulling.

 

 

Once he mastered that then I started putting my hands in different locations and made him look for my hands then reach for them, grab them, and pull them towards him.  I was very consistent and would not reward him until he did the appropriate request.  The next step is for him to do this and then look at my eyes signaling he wants to be tickled.  He finally can do that now and he looks up and makes eye contact and I reward him for the contact with lots of tickles.

 

 

I have adapted this game to another tickle game that he really likes. When I first started this game with Hunter I would sit him on my feet facing away from me and I would tickle him on his ribs.  At this point I wasn't asking for anything from him other than to enjoy getting tickled.

 

Once he understood the reward I made him look for my eyes.  He eventually looked up and I reward him for the contact with lots of tickling.  He surprised me with the time it took him to do what I wanted him to do.  He is learning so fast! 

 

In the picture below, I am just waiting for him to look up at me and waiting for eye contact.  He is reaching for my hands and I know what he wants me to do but I am waiting ever so patiently for that eye contact.

 

Got it!! 

 

I am so proud of Hunter for learning so fast!