Social Communication & Play Therapy
Pragmatic language and social skills therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and Social Communication Disorder — using play-based, evidence-based approaches in Rawalpindi.
Who Benefits from Social Communication Therapy?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Children with ASD often have significant difficulties with social reciprocity, nonverbal communication, and developing peer relationships. Our SLPs use evidence-based, naturalistic play approaches to build core social communication skills.
ADHD with Social Difficulties
Children with ADHD often struggle with turn-taking, topic maintenance, and reading social cues. Social communication therapy targets these pragmatic language challenges alongside attention and impulse control strategies.
Social Communication Disorder (SCD)
SCD (formerly called Pragmatic Language Impairment) involves persistent difficulties with the social use of language — without the restricted/repetitive behaviours seen in Autism. Targeted pragmatic therapy is highly effective.
Signs That May Indicate Social Communication Difficulties
- Limited or no eye contact during conversation
- Difficulty initiating or maintaining conversations with peers
- Responds to name inconsistently or with a delay
- Prefers solitary play; does not seek out peers spontaneously
- Does not understand or use nonverbal communication (gestures, facial expressions)
- Talks at length on own interests but cannot follow others' conversational topics
- Literal interpretation of language — difficulty with jokes, sarcasm, or idioms
What Our Therapists Do
- Comprehensive pragmatic language assessment (CELF-5 Pragmatics, SCQ)
- Joint attention training — the foundation of all social communication
- Turn-taking, topic initiation, and maintenance in conversation
- Emotional recognition and perspective-taking (Theory of Mind)
- Small-group social skills sessions for peer interaction practice
- ABA-informed naturalistic developmental behavioural interventions (NDBIs)
- Parent coaching for embedding social opportunities in daily routines
- School collaboration — strategies for the classroom and playground
Common Questions
Is social communication therapy the same as ABA therapy?
No, though they share some principles. Our social communication therapy is delivered by licensed SLPs using evidence-based naturalistic approaches (JASPER, SCERTS, DIR/Floortime) that differ from traditional discrete-trial ABA. We can work collaboratively with your child's ABA provider.
At what age can you start social communication therapy?
We begin as early as 18 months for children showing early signs of Autism. The younger the child, the more neuroplasticity allows for significant gains. We offer both 1:1 and small-group formats depending on the child's profile and goals.
My child has an autism diagnosis from another clinic — can we come to you?
Yes, absolutely. A formal diagnosis is not required to access our services, but it helps us plan appropriately. We accept referrals from NIMS, PIMS, private neurologists, and developmental paediatricians across Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Are you accessible from areas like Askari, DHA, and Bahria Town?
Yes. Our clinic is on Defence Road, Adyala — approximately 5 to 15 minutes from Askari 1–14, DHA Phase 1–5, Bahria Town, Khawaja Corporation Chowk, and Gulshan Abad.
Every Child Deserves to Connect
Conveniently located for families from Askari, DHA, Bahria Town, Gulshan Abad, Khawaja Corporation, and central Rawalpindi & Islamabad.