Last night while we were waiting for dinner, Zach was playing on the iPad. He has really been into writing words and drawing pictures. He was using an app called "Write My Name." It really is a nice app that you can either write (well more copy) preloaded words or letters. There is also an option to add your own words, such as family and friends names. Zach had been writing all the names of the people that were already added to the name tag feature.
He looks over at me and says "Mom, I want K****."
I asked him, "Where is K****?"
And to my utter amazement, he opened his AAC program, selected the option for people, scrolled all the way to the end, and pointed to the appropriate picture. Tears welled in my eyes. You see this is the first time EVER that he initiated using the program to try to communicate his need/want to me. In case you don't know, AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. We call it his talker, but it is an app called Sono Flex lite that has preloaded/added words with pictures to select from with corresponding sound to him to use to help communicate. But he has words and doesn't really need that kind of thing you might say. You are right. He has TONS of words he can say and most of the time you can understand; BUT you are also wrong. At times, it is very difficult for him to put those words together in a complete or understandable sentence/phrase to effectively communicate what it is that he needs or wants. I have been trying for a while to convince him to at least try to sometimes use the program with no luck. That was why Zach doing it independently was soooo BIG. So what was he ultimately trying to tell me?? He wanted me to add her information to Write My Name so he could write it. I assume that he realized she wasn't physically there and that was the only way to show me who he meant. Brilliant!!!!
Once he had practiced that name, he went straight to the AAC program and found the next person he wanted and said "Mom, I want D****." Again when he finished with that one, he found the next one and said "Mom, I want D******." Of course, I gladly added each one. It is good for him to learn how to spell our friends names. He started pointing at 4 more names to add, but dinner came and interrupted the fun.
He never ceases to amaze me with his progress, growth, and development. Too many times I look ahead at how far he has to go, that I forget to look back and see just how far he as come. Keep surprising me Zach!!! I love it and I LOVE YOU!!!
And to my utter amazement, he opened his AAC program, selected the option for people, scrolled all the way to the end, and pointed to the appropriate picture. Tears welled in my eyes. You see this is the first time EVER that he initiated using the program to try to communicate his need/want to me. In case you don't know, AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. We call it his talker, but it is an app called Sono Flex lite that has preloaded/added words with pictures to select from with corresponding sound to him to use to help communicate. But he has words and doesn't really need that kind of thing you might say. You are right. He has TONS of words he can say and most of the time you can understand; BUT you are also wrong. At times, it is very difficult for him to put those words together in a complete or understandable sentence/phrase to effectively communicate what it is that he needs or wants. I have been trying for a while to convince him to at least try to sometimes use the program with no luck. That was why Zach doing it independently was soooo BIG. So what was he ultimately trying to tell me?? He wanted me to add her information to Write My Name so he could write it. I assume that he realized she wasn't physically there and that was the only way to show me who he meant. Brilliant!!!!
Once he had practiced that name, he went straight to the AAC program and found the next person he wanted and said "Mom, I want D****." Again when he finished with that one, he found the next one and said "Mom, I want D******." Of course, I gladly added each one. It is good for him to learn how to spell our friends names. He started pointing at 4 more names to add, but dinner came and interrupted the fun.
He never ceases to amaze me with his progress, growth, and development. Too many times I look ahead at how far he has to go, that I forget to look back and see just how far he as come. Keep surprising me Zach!!! I love it and I LOVE YOU!!!
