moira199 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 My non verbal 2 1/2 year old loves to point out objects in his books then looks up to make eye contact, smile and then get the adult to say the word for him. Does this mean he may pick up language eventually ? Impossible question I know ! We are starting PECS soon MOira Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmuir Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Hi Sorry, haven't had any experience with a non-verbal child, but it does sound like a good sign to me. The little fella is showing interest, focusing on something and then seeking a response. He's learning to communicate the only way he knows how at the moment. Little star! C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cmuir Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Hi Sorry, haven't had any experience with a non-verbal child, but it does sound like a good sign to me. The little fella is showing interest, focusing on something and then seeking a response. He's learning to communicate the only way he knows how at the moment. Little star! C. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Report post Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) I think it's amazing that he points out objects! My lad has NEVER done that. On the talking front, hmmm a little more difficult to answer. All I can say is that The Boy didn't say anything until he was 3. But that wasn't the big issue. The big issue was his apparent lack of desire to try ANY form of communication. He wouldn't even demonstrate what he wanted by taking you to it, bringing it to you etc. He made no attempt to share his interest with you for anything. Then he was dx'd, started part time at special nursery, started using PECs & we had some help with strategies at home. The first signs were when he took us into the kitchen with a purpose e.g. because he wanted a drink / something to eat. TBH I would have been more than happy with this form of communication, at least it was something. But he's just gone from strength to strength. Now he has a handful of stock phrases that may not always entirely "fit" in a situation, but at least you know what he means. To me he's quite a chatterbox now, albeit his language is that of an "18 month old" according to the paed (how he can judge that I don't know, when any 18 month old would call me mummy & he doesn't ) I guess what I am trying to say (in my usual waffly way) is that if your child is attempting ANY form of communication it is a good thing & should be encouraged. Is it a sign he will talk? Not necessarily, but encouragement & results e.g. he indicates he wants something you get it quickly to show him his effort is rewarded, may support that development into speech. Remember tho, speech is such a small way of communicating. I've learnt more about communication since having The Boy than in the previous 34 years of my life and speech is almost irrelevant IMO. Edited November 2, 2006 by Jill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moira199 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Many thanks for the answers - I hope one day to be an 'old hand' myself so I can help others just starting out as I am now. Thomas has always done the dragging and pointing thing and as I said loves naming pictures so maybe PECS will be good for his communication which I realise is the main thing, not speech as such. He also likes to get us involved in his world and some of his games can be quite imaginative although not at NT level. He has reasonable receptive language and amazingly responds well to the word 'no' so I'm hoping for more progress soon - aren't we all ! Moira Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Report post Posted November 2, 2006 It is difficult to say from just reading a couple of your posts, but it does sound to me like your lad is a good candidate for PECs. PECs for us were a real God send & certainly developed his desire to communicate with us & he had shown no previous interest in books or pictures etc. so we were surprised at how well they worked. I have to say that The Boy I think is quite imaginative too in his own way & I was always told this was a good thing as it is the emerging signs of empathy. This prognosis has proven true - he really does get upset if another child is upset etc. You sound a bit like I was 6 months ago (sorry to lump that on you ) trying to look for any glimmer of hope for how things will be. If I can give you a bit of advice (altho I'm not really such an old hand myself) it's try to live for today and gain acceptance in your heart. I was always looking to the future and trying to see what would happen & I also don't think I had truly accepted The Boy for who he is. I have accepted him now - fully - and it has made such a massive difference to our relationship. We're much happier in each other's company (not that it was awful before, but I always sort of felt a little strained with him) and I've stopped looking at what he's like now / will be like and just take him as he is IYKWIM. Sorry if I've mis read you! It's just that I know that acceptance just sort of hit me one day & I've been so much better since. <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moira199 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 I think you have hit the proverbial nail on the head. I am struggling a bit to accept that he will always be different and it doesn't help that family members still dont' think there is really anything 'wrong' . I am very encouraged by hearing how you came to acceptance so I will pray for that. How long did it take for PECs to begin to bring out communication and how many hours a week did you do at the start and are you still doing it now? Sorry for all the questions. I hope I can answer one soon! MOira Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adamsmum Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Adam uses pecs thay are exelent. He is 7 but but learnt to use them at 4. As for pointing it is a good sine Adam started to to that then thr other week said car after me. It could take years like it did for Adam but dont give up good luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
butterfingersbimbo Report post Posted November 2, 2006 i'm not really clued up either when it comes to non verbal children, but it does sound promising! my nephew isnt very verbal and its very hard to communicate with him, i really feel for him. hope springs eternal it does sound like pecs would be useful for you guys. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LizK Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Our SALT is always saying to us that speech whilst what the parents want to hear is actually the least important part of communication and understanding amd non-verbal communication are vitally important stepping stones to getting there. Sounds like your little boy is showing promising signs! Can I recommend More Than Words book which is a great book to give you ideas about encouraging verbal and non verbal communication in ASD kids Lx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Report post Posted November 3, 2006 First of all, can I thank you for understanding what I was rather clumsily trying to say. I was thinking about my post last night (no PC access at home) and started to worry that I'd come across as all patronising & I didn't want that! So thanks for reading between the lines so well! How long did it take for PECs to begin to bring out communication and how many hours a week did you do at the start and are you still doing it now? MOira The first part of your question is quite difficult to answer. We certainly did see that The Boy started to show an interest in communication when the PECs were used. However, how much of that was purely down to PECs is difficult to say. You see he also started part time at a special nursery at the same time & they obviously implemented other things that all helped him. Certainly within a month we saw The Boy start to understand PECs (he really did take to them quickly). Now - a year on - if he wants something & doesn't know how to ask for it / show us what he wants, he goes to his PECs pictures and gets one out to show us to help explain what he wants. He's been doing that for about a month now. It's still patchy, but it's a start Hours of the week we do it? We do it all the time. He has a timetable of events on the wall which show what's happening. Generally this is standard for the evening - play, bath, tv, bed. But it is useful if we are going to do something different like go shopping or on Sunday fireworks show. Because he's prepared that it wont be his usual routine he reacts better. I'm also planning to do a "portable" timetable to take out and about with us. I just have problems getting a "round tuit" IYKWIM at the mo Are we still doing it now? Yes and will continue to do so. The thing about PECs is that it evolves. It starts at the basic timetable level (which is more or less where we are now) then it progresses to exchanging symbols (which we're just moving onto) and then the child / person can use it fully as a whole method of communication if needed. I think there are even packages where the person can type in PECs and it translates to words. So it is quite a useful tool all in all. Anyway, hark at me waffling on! No probs with my communication except shutting me up Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moira199 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Hours of the week we do it? We do it all the time. He has a timetable of events on the wall which show what's happening. Generally this is standard for the evening - play, bath, tv, bed. But it is useful if we are going to do something different like go shopping or on Sunday fireworks show. Because he's prepared that it wont be his usual routine he reacts better. I'm also planning to do a "portable" timetable to take out and about with us. I just have problems getting a "round tuit" IYKWIM at the mo Thomas isn't really routine bound (yet). Is this something that may come later? I'm not sure if he would know what a timetable is at the moment but maybe that will come later too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
