A speech-generating device may improve behaviors in children with autism who cannot speak.
This case report describes the use of a speech-generating device by a 7-year-old boy with autism. The boy could not speak, but he did make sounds with his voice. Sometimes the sounds were not appropriate. He also had problem behaviors; for example, he would use aggression when he wanted attention or wanted to play with someone. The boy was taught how to use multiple options on the device. He used the device on the playground and during gym. When he used the device, he had problem behaviors 0 to 20% of the total time (for example, while on the playground). Without the device, he had problem behaviors 40 to 80% of the total time.
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Seven Special Education Success Strategies
Jul 8, 2009 by Anonymous1. Take Responsibility
It's time you take responsibility for your role as your child's voice in their education and of the state their education is in. This does not mean that you are solely responsible for mishaps, but if we are going to move forward with you becoming an equal member of the team, you must know your role.
From this point forward you will be responsible for consciously choosing the most effective action in any special education situation. You will be in charge of increasing your credibility and influence with the team. You will develop behaviors and actions that will not only improve your own effectiveness, but you will strengthen the entire special education team.
2. Create a Mission
Every parent is given a voice in their child's IEP. It's time to use yours effectively and strategically. No longer will you hesitate on your input into the IEP.
It's time to create your child's Education Mission Statement. This will include a clear definition of educational outcomes at the end of their school career. Included in your plan are descriptive qualities of your child's education that will assist them in achieving their outcomes.
3. Plan for Success
Educational success and mastery does not happen by accident. Only using consistent approaches when collaborating with the IEP team will produce results. You must create a systematic approach that works for you in becoming an equal member of the IEP team.
It's time for you to gain a reputation for excellent follow-through and superior input on your child's top educational priorities. By developing and communicating priorities within the IEP, you will see consistent movement and progress towards the desired outcomes.
4. Develop A Winning Strategy
Team collaboration for IEP success is mandatory. Every team member needs to clearly understand both short and long term education goals. Everyday must be a new effort to achieve.
As an equal member of the team, you can find ways to share recognitions of success without fear of diminishing the weaknesses which still need to be addressed. It's time to create effective, long-term professional relationships with the IEP team. With mutual respect between IEP team members, the child wins.
5. Listen, Learn, Teach
It's your turn to listen, learn and teach. Listening to IEP team members with an open-mind to their perspective can bring new insights to your role on the IEP team. Learning from IEP team members will broaden your information for decision making. Teaching the team your knowledge and expertise about your child will keep the focus on your child's unique needs.
Listen, learn and teach are skills which require practice and adjustment within each team. However, when these skills are mastered you will have greater influence to lead your child's IEP team. You also will develop faster problem solving skills.
6. Cooperate
Understanding differences and how the contribute to innovative and better solutions is key to IEP team success. You never will agree with every team member. Your child needs you to develop the skills to cooperate with their team to create a better program education program.
The action of cooperation includes learning how to value other team members, their knowledge and their participation on your child's team. The goal of cooperation is to integrate every team member's best idea. With integrated solutions, a special education program has the potential to be much greater than an individual strategy.
7. Maintain Accountability
Accountability of all team members, including yourself, is key to long-term success. The purpose of your child's IEP, as stated by IDEA, is to prepare for Further Education, Employment and Independent Living. This is not a sprint of learning, but a marathon in life preparation.
By practicing these 7 strategies consistently you will bring your child's education to a higher level than ever imagined.
Copyright 2009, Precision Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
"Providing you with the information and help you need to change your child's special education outcomes."
Precision Education, Inc. www.precisioneducation.com (815) 302-1273 / (800) 432-0170
Repetition...Here I go again!!!
Jun 7, 2009 by AnonymousThis week was much like many others in the respect that I was going through a period of feeling totally overwhelmed with life in general and my emotional pendulum was yet again swinging from one extreme to the other, a phenomenon my family have long since chalked up to mom having “one of her days.” Nothing extremely out of the ordinary actually. I had been asked to submit again further documentation to my insurance company to substantiate the need for my son’s ongoing speech therapy. I had requested and received home work material for the expressed purpose of practicing hard won skills so as to ward off the ever present monster in the closet; regression. I had intended yet again to organize files, stow away winter clothes, check the fit of summer clothes, etc., etc. And then it hit me. As I checked emails, twitter accounts, my space pages and face book…it hit. This emotion that was at once akin to emotional vertigo and short of a panic attack. The overwhelming enormity of all that goes with caring for a child with ASD. It was a feeling that I could not quite place the night before as I watched my son struggle to perform math problems that we had been working on all year and still seemed to just escape his grasp. It was the feeling of clawing your way up a mudslide. It was the feeling of being stuck in one place while the world seemed to move around you. The repetition of it all in an effort to gain some minuscule ground and trying to find contentment in that. When that realization came, with it came the self-loathing. How could I possible feel tired of it, resentful, angry…and if I did, what must he feel?
In reading submissions from others on line and parents that I have personally connected with, I have come to one conclusion; the drive to protect, nurture, and see that our children flourish is all consuming. I have met some truly awe inspiring parents with children on the spectrum and have found evidenced in them immeasurable strength. But almost universally I have found that the same strength that drives us alternatively burns us out. We are called upon to wear so many hats that we find ourselves filled to overflowing. I have sought alternative ways to deal with this sense of feeling overwhelmed…therapy, exercise, prayer and mostly that works. I have learned to reprioritize my life. No longer is it most important that my house be spotless. There are days when I feel it would pass inspection by the Board of Health…barely. No longer are my finances handled with the precision of a calculator wielding accountant…thank goodness for online payments! The laundry may not be done to Martha Stewart’s standards…(ok, did that pile in the corner just move by itself…it’s small, I think I can take it!). Point is I am doing the best I can. Today. And maybe tonight in the solace of my beloved shower I will cry, long, shoulder wracking, hiccup inducing, eye swelling cries that will leave my eyes red and puffy as only my favorite shampoo can. I will toss and turn and watch another episode of Law & Order with one eye on the clock, and then sleep the sleep of a parent whose mind will not be still. Tomorrow is a new day, a new fight, a new challenge. A bus pulls into my driveway and his voice sing-songs on its way out through the closing door…”bye mom, love you” as it has every school day this year. I smile and realize repetition ain’t that bad.
NO SMALL VICTORIES…
May 31, 2009 by AnonymousThere are times when I find that I cannot see the forest beyond the considerable tree in front of me. As a parent with a son on the ASD spectrum I alternate between days of feeling that I am doing a pretty good job (those rare occasions when I am pretty well rested and relatively centered) and days when I feel totally inadequate in my efforts to support, advocate for, teach my son all while trying to do the only thing I ever wanted to do for him…be a mom. I spent the last several days trying to think of something meaningful that I could contribute to others through this blog. While I am the self published author of an autism awareness children’s book series and self professed autism awareness advocate, I am not a specialist, an educator or therapist. I am basically just a mom trying to make a difference and hoping in some way to help someone else by promoting basic autism awareness in an effort to bridge communication between what has become in my mind us (those living on the spectrum and their families) and the world.
While at a book signing this weekend at a local Walden Books I had the pleasure of having a conversation with a speech therapist. As I described my books to her and the intentions behind their creation I felt compelled to add that I was not a specialist with educational credentials in the form of letters behind my name. I was a mom basically just “trying to stay in my lane and do what I do” which is in essence trying to keep autism in the minds of those in the community in an effort to make my son’s world less an alien place. I struggle daily with my sons’ diet, sleep patterns, education, and delayed development of social skills. I struggle with the thoughts of what lies ahead next week, next month, next year. I struggle with us both trying to find independent identities as for as long as I can remember I was his voice, his conduit to the world. I struggle with the challenges of him growing up with the challenges that ASD presents and the pain that that growth entails. I am, as I said, just a mom. The therapist laughed and remarked that without the moms (and dads) who are the strong voices for our children, where would she and others in the special needs community be. As parents we are our children’s best advocates. That being said, I hope that something I say here will be enlightening, comforting, empowering, and understanding to others and continue to work, in my lane, to add my voice to all the other voices of parents/advocates to make a difference in the lives of children like my Joshua, and all the other Joshua’s on the spectrum. My anthem of empowerment for my son, my family and indeed for everyone touched by ASD is and continues to be there are NO SMALL VICTORIES…Every Accomplishment Should Be Celebrated! Hopefully I will be able to share something that will help another parent see around that tree in our path, if only for a shared glimpse of the forest beyond.
Jacqueline Williams-Hines is the author of the No Small Victories autism awareness children’s book series and recently released her third book, “Joshua, That’s Sooo Slimming!” which can be purchased from her Author House website, www.jacquelinewilliamshinesbooks.com as well as other retail bookstore outlets such as Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com.
My son is very loud also
Nov 27, 2008 by AnonymousMy son is 10 and has an ASD diagnosis- he get VERY LOUD when he is angry or excited or out in public. He is so loud when he screams it hurts your ears. I have tried to use social stories , read a mr men book called mr loud, Showed him volume control on stereo and different volumes and put a number factor to them eg. you are at volume 6 now - can you try and be at volume 3 like the stereo? he say his mouth is same size as mine- he says do I think his mouth is biggar than my own?? He says he is sick of me saying to be quite or use is softer voice and that he cant control it- Please any advice???