Picture exchange communication system (PECS) may help children with autism learn to request even if the pictures in the PECS do not look exactly like the item that is being asked for.
This study was designed to see if PECS works best if the pictures look exactly like the item (iconicity) that is being asked for. The authors found that PECS does help children with autism learn to ask for things using graphic symbols. The authors also found that it did not matter if the picture looked just like the item that was being asked for. These results are different from results of earlier studies that showed that PECS worked better if the pictures looked just like the item. The study only looked at the first two phases of PECS (physical exchange and expanding spontaneity).
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Responding to visual schedules
Sep 30, 2010 by AnonymousI saw the article about Visual Schedules and would like to introduce you to Picto Selector a freeware Windows tool that is designed to create visual schedules and is combined with over 14000 symbols.
You can follow this link to visit it's website
Picture-Based Communications on the iPhone/iPod
Jul 21, 2009 by AnonymousHi there,
My name is Dan, and my wife Carey and I are parents to a four-year-old boy (with autism) and a two-year-old girl (neurotypical). Both of our kids are adorable and keep us laughing!
Our son is verbal, though his expressive language is weak and he struggles with sensory processing, particularly in new environments. We were turned on to picture-based communication aids by the Connecticut Birth to Three system -- laminated strips of pictures, notebooks, magnet boards, etc.
These tools worked. They helped Evan a good deal. Unfortunately, though, they weren't the most "workable" solution. Carrying around notebooks and boards is inconvenient. We'd lose the symbols, or not have the right one on hand when needed.
So, we invented an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that lets caregivers customize and present visual schedules, social stories, timers and choices -- all right there in the palm of your hand. It's called iPrompts -- check it out at http://www.iprompts.com. We've gotten some incredible feedback about it. Hope it helps!
- Dan
Beyond the Mask - Walk Now for Austism Chicago 2007
Jun 10, 2007 by AnonymousBeyond the Mask
The walk-a-thon, Walk Now for Austism Chicago 2007 was a great success. Healing Thresholds held a booth inside Soldier Field Stadium for individuals to get on line and to cheeck out the website and to create art. Art therapist worked with the children through the creative art process of mask making.
Art therapy is an established mental health profession that uses the process of making art to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals. Art therapists believe that the creative process of artistic self-expression helps individuals to resolve problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, and increase self-esteem.
While growing up, we all have many obstacles and challenges to overcome. We can either take on these challenges and try to grow from them, or allow the challenges to control us. These obstacles and challenges can influence who we are and who we will become. Art therapy is a way of understanding and facing the conflicts that occur in our lives.
The expression of art begin early in a child’s life as a reaction to sensory experiences. As the child’s senses mature, his/her reationship to the environment also matures. In additon, as a child grows and learns s/he begins to understand him/herself in relation to the environment. The milestones in a child’s life relate to the physical emotional, and cognitive perspective of development. As a child identifies his/her own experiences and the environment, mental growth begins. A young child begins to express him/herself in constructive forms of art that are self-expressions of his/her feelings, emotions and thoughts. Through development, a child knowledge gained takes on a visual form. By creating symbols a child can take something they have captured and tranform it to something that has meaning. Art therapist use the abstraction of art and the multisensorial experience of art to help a individual understand his/her environment and overcome or cope with the challenges in life.
We all wear masks and may wear several in the same day. As mask makers, we wear masks that are both visual and invisible. They can hide, protect or allow us to express ourselves. The face is powerful and holds the senses of sight, sound, smell, and taste. In addition, our emotions can be seen mostly through facial expression.
Often masks are used in rituals, religion, culture and uniforms. Some cultures believe masks to be magical. They may symbolized or represent an animal or spiritual meaning. Overall, masks are a powerful form of art that has been around for thousands of years.
In art therapy the process of creating and wearing masks can help an individual to explore the self. A mask can serve as a container to be seen or unseen. By exploring different masks allows an individual to transform from the present state to a new place.
These experiences may enable an individual to be free to express themselves or perhaps provide an emotional distance. Masks can connect the non verbal to a visual form.
One therapist's perspective
Nov 15, 2006 by AnonymousWhile growing up we all have many obstacles and challenges to overcome. With each one we either take on these challenges and try to grow from them or the challenges begin to control us. These obstacles and challenges will influence who we are and who we will become. It is a matter of knowing and facing the conflicts that occur in one's life.
The concepts of art begin early in a child's life as a reaction to sensory experiences. As the child's senses mature his/her reactions to the environment also mature. As a child grows and learns s/he begins to understand him/herself in relation to the environment. The milestones in a child's life relate to the physical, emotional, and cognitive perspective of development. As a child identifies his/her own experiences and the environment, mental growth begins. A young child begins to express him/herself in constructive forms of art that are self-expressions of his/her feelings, emotions, and thoughts. Through development, the knowledge gained takes on a visual form. The making of symbols can capture an abstraction and an understanding of the environment. Art therapists use the abstraction of art and the multisensorial experience of art to help a child understand his/her environmental and overcome the challenges in life.