Elliot on his first day of preschool
Communicating
by Patty Manning
by Patty Manning
After months of hand over hand practice, it began when I least expected it. In hindsight, it was the perfect time and life was the best teacher.
My son Ivar and I were taking a walk around the neighborhood. He was in his wheelchair, me pushing him, his communication device attached to his wheelchair, his voice always with him.
A dog was barking loudly, I was a little nervous hoping it was only bark and no bite. Ivar got upset. I thought I knew why. And then he spelled d-o-g. And then h-o-m-e. The dog was making him upset and he wanted to go home!
Using a DynaVox VMax dynamic communication device is how my daughter, Mary, is most effective in her communication. Mary can tell me how she is feeling, when she needs to be cleaned, when she needs suctioning from her trach, and when she wants to get out of her wheelchair. Activating the DynaVox VMax is how Mary first learned to play with her stuffed horse and told me yes or no to my name suggestions and finally named him Spotty. Many words to help Mary pretend were added to her horse play page!
Focus: Communication
by Terri Hart-Ellis
My eight-year-old and I prepare for second grade each in our own ways. Addie gets as many last swims and lazy days in as possible, while I program her speech output device and schedule some communications of my own.
Addie is diagnosed with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome that manifests, for her, in some physical, medical and cognitive differences. She is also functionally non-verbal. For background on her road to communication, see Outside Voice, Please!
"Mama, I don't want you to wash my hair in the bath tonight," said my almost-three-year-old. He's non-verbal and this was his first official request indicating a preference, translated into a full sentence by me. For the last six months we've used a schedule board hanging by the dinner table and he is always coming up with new things to say through it.
by Randi Sargent
Assistive technology can make an enormous difference in helping children prepare for and communicate in healthcare settings. For example, many of our kids (and even some of us adults!) are anxious about visits to the dentist. Glaring lights, strangers in masks and loud buzzing sounds can send kids with sensory issues over the proverbial edge. For our kids with complex health issues and developmental disabilities, anxiety can also be heightened by their lack of experience or understanding and fear of discomfort. If you have one of these kids, this guide should help make your next dental visit as painless as possible. The same techniques can also be applied to other healthcare settings, such as doctor visits and procedures.
(Read More)Specialty Article
Accessing Augmentative Communication for Children with Severe Physical or Multiple Disabilities
Again and again, I hear of children who don't have augmentative communication devices because they are considered too physically disabled, too cognitively impaired, or because they have multiple disabilities. Every time I hear this, my heart breaks a little bit. Virtually any child, with the exception of children who are unresponsive, can communicate to some degree if provided with the right equipment and training.
It is not these children's disabilities that are holding them back. Instead, it is closed-minded or uneducated therapists and other professionals who are not up to date on the available technology. Options are available for these children to communicate, and this article will outline many different ways of providing access to communication devices for children with multiple disabilities.
Feature Article
by Michael E. Ross
All of us are going to die, and no matter how long you live, the legacy that you leave behind matters. Quality versus quantity is how you judge it, and my son Tommy changed a lot of people's views in his five years on Earth.