Communicate with more people

Paul Harvey, 20, has autism and is non-verbal. He started using Makaton in 1987, when he was two and a half years old.

His mother, Jackie Harvey, says:

"A speech and language therapist enrolled me on a course at the local hospital. Once I started to use Makaton with Paul, he very quickly learnt it. I am proficient at using Makaton but Paul is superb and can make himself understood by others.

"Makaton opened up a communication system between myself and my son, which I have been able to help him develop so he could communicate with more people.

"A lot of parents are resistant to using Makaton as 'they want their child to speak' and think that if they teach signing it will inhibit speech. Professionals need to make clear to parents that this is not the case."

February 2006