Case report: Using an auditory trainer with caregiver video modeling to enhance communication and socialization behaviors in autism.

One preschooler with autism who used almost no words watched short clips of his mom talking.

He wore an FM auditory trainer headset to hear the clips clearly each day for four weeks.

The team tracked how many words he said, how often he looked at people, and eye contact.

After four weeks the child spoke many new words and looked at people more.

Eye contact also rose sharply.

All gains stayed high when checked later.

Touchette et al. (1985) first showed that an auditory trainer alone can cut withdrawn acts and boost signing in autistic children. Baharav et al. (2008) kept the trainer and added caregiver video, lifting spoken words too.

Cariveau et al. (2019) later ran a four-week ABA program for minimally verbal girls and saw big communication jumps without any trainer. Their RCT shows the short time frame works even without the headset.

Wilson (2013) compared video modeling to live modeling in preschool rooms. Some kids did better with video, some with live. Eva’s case hints that clearer sound through the trainer may tip the scale toward video for certain children.

If you serve minimally verbal preschoolers, pair clear audio with short parent videos. Try an FM trainer or simple headphones while the child watches 30-second clips of parents talking. Track words, eye contact, and social looks for four weeks. The low-cost add may speed early communication when traditional video modeling stalls.