Mothers who imitate their child with autism may help teach nonverbal social skills and feel more positive about their relationship with their children.

This case report describes a therapy approach where the mother imitated her 21-month-old child with autism. The mother and child were together for sessions with therapists for 60 minutes per month, and the mother was taught how to continue therapy at home. For the first two months, she spent 5 minutes every day playing with her child and responding to him. For the next two months, she imitated her child’s facial expressions and sounds during play. For the last two months, the mother stopped imitating and was responsive during play. The child’s joint attention skills improved more rapidly during the imitation phase than during the other phases of therapy. The mother also enjoyed being with her child more during the imitation phase.