Médiation de l'eau dans l'autisme : Joachim ou la construction d'une première peau psychique

The structure of water-play - a room with a shallow pool and a dry area, equipped with taps, shower-pipes, mirror and toys - make up a particularly interesting indication in the treatment of autism. The therapeutic work is actually centred around recovering an initial feeling of an envelope, thanks to the exploration of specific characteristics of this structure, which correspond for the child to the spatial projection of his physical envelope. The mediation of water enables notably an effort of sensory integration to be made, which is fundamental for the autistic child, from the sensory dimension of this therapeutic space, the various methods of linking with the therapists, who will make use of all the sensory registers, through to emotional chords. This article will stress the role played by the interaction of visual, tactile, oral exploration; by the work on the sound envelope and by the exploration of the material framework in the task of constructing a psychic skin in an autistic child.