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MumTee

Non-verbal to verbal

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Just want to ask -

 

my little one is dx autism, age 3 and non-verbal (though is making certain sounds in certain situations), he definitely has auditory processing problems although he is picking up well on PECS and other visual clues.... he does engage with us intermittently (with affection) and spends a fair amount of time sensory seeking/stimming/self-regulating.

 

...I wonder if he sounds like any of your little ones when they were three and if, and/or when they did start to talk/communicate alternatively - and what came next...

 

I know this will only give some rough clues about what to expect and all children are unique, but I'm trying to find the balance between being realistic and optimistic - I dont want to let him down by expecting too little, yet I keep being given 'that look' by health related people (because I'm pushing forward with PECS and structured play and whatever else I can do) that says "you're expecting too much" - I suppose also I'm hoping maybe life would get a little more straightforward if he could communicate with me with speech??? I think your experience would help me at this time.....

 

 

thanks in advance,

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Hi MumTee

 

Logan is 2 and 3/4s and very similar to your wee one as we've said before. He's still completely non-verbal, and to be honest doesn't even babble much although is becoming more vocal now. Nothing at all that sounds like words though (we did think he was trying to say a few words a few months back but thats all gone).

 

We are introducing PECS at the moment and are fairly hopeful it'll work for him.

 

It sounds to me like you are being fairly realistic, and not expecting too much like the professionals say - introducing PECS and structured play etc is going to benefit your little one if it can enable him to communicate with you guys.

 

We've been doing early bird at the moment and its quite nice, because althoug Logan is probably the lowest functioning in our group at the moment, there are children there who are 4 and weren't talking at his age, but are now.

 

To be honest though I've stopped worrying about speech now - if it happens, fantastic, but the main thing is finding a way to help him communicate his needs with us.

 

Its tough though - you have my full sympathies as it sounds like we're at similar stages.

 

Lynne x

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Hi mumtee

 

Luke was non-verbal and now talks none stop, this is my experience with him.

 

He was late, but did make babbling baby sounds around the age of 11 months.

 

At about 18 months he stopped babbling and would only scream.

 

At around the age of 2 1/2 he started saying some words, and developed echolalia.

 

He continued with a vocubulary of about 20 words, echoing, and screaming to communicate until he was about 3 1/2

 

He then had what I decscribed as one sided conversations. Where he would talk to me 'look outside, it's snowing'.... but would not respond to what I said, so the converstation would go like this:

 

Luke - 'it's snowing'.

 

Me - 'oh yes, so it is, would you like to go out and play?'

 

Luke -' it's snowing'

 

Me - 'You're right Luke, it is snowing, can you remember when we played with the sledge last winter, maybe we could do that again if the snow gets deep enough'.

 

Luke - 'It's snowing'...

 

And that would go on. He was like that until he was about 4 then at this age he started answering very simple questions. If anyone spoke to him he would always attempt an answer them but usually with a totally inappropriate response. For example when I took him to see a peadiatrician when he was 6 this is word for word part of the converstation.

 

Pead - 'Luke, do you have any brothers or sisters?'

 

Luke - 'No'

 

me - 'yes you do Luke, you have a brother and a sister'

 

Paed - ' You have a brother Luke?'

 

Luke - 'Yes'

 

Paed - 'and what's his name?'

 

Luke - 'Olivia Parker' :lol: (this was the name of a girl at school.

 

He went on like this for quite some time, though all the time his vocublary was increasing. At the age of 7 his auditory processing was assessed and he had over a year of Johansen Sound therapy. His language delay all but disappeared. He is 9 now and still has some pragmatic language difficulties, he's very over precise and takes everything literally.

 

I never used pecs. I had no idea when he was very young that his problems were related to autism and looking back I know pecs would have made his young child hood so much happier.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Lauren X

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The Boy didn't say a word at 3. He has a few key words now, mainly functional e.g. more drink, take my shoes off etc.

 

The main thing for us was when he started communicating with us (not talking, communicating) - he now takes our hand and guides us to what he wants - something he never did before & our life is so much easier as a result (we're all happier, including The Boy)

 

We don't worry too much about talking - he either will or he wont - the main thing is communicating by any method at all. Well, that's what I think anyway.............

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Tom isn't non-verbal but his language is all echolalia and also counting to ten or twenty over and over again. We've been introducing PECS and Makaton (see whichever one works out) and he's a lot more responsive with those than when we talk to him. He communicates his wants to us by putting our hands on what he wants and we've managed to get him to make my hand do the "thank you" sign and today in a song he did the Makaton for "yes" :). He's said a few words (months apart0 in the right context but even those have not been said TO anyone.

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My son was also none verbal and would ony scream or gesture up until he was the age of around 3.He then prefered to use signals and could go for days without talking.

 

He also used to talk via a third person manley his toy puppy and would use strange voices and id to communicate via this puppy also.But what did it matter as long as we knew what he wanted>This is also something he still does at times.

 

Hes now 12 and at times talks none stop on and on he drones about his pet subjects and ive to yell shut yer face :P

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I have a friend whose son was totally non verbal until he was 8 years old. He is now 15 and it is difficult to believe that he was 8 before he became verbal.

 

Oracle

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Hi

 

My son has just turned 6 and totally non verbal. I spent years worrying about this but I've now just accepted it to be honest. As long as he can communicate as best as he can which he does I started PECS with him when he was 2 and he can now also use sign language as well. He is the way he is and if he does talk that would be great but if not then thats just the way its meant to be. He tries so hard and I am so proud of his acheivements.

Good luck to you both >:D<<'>

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Tom is non-verbal. But he does a pretty good job of communicating using brute force, man-handling the parents to fetch and carry for him.

 

We tried PECS, but it just didn't seem to engage him at all.

 

We're in the middle of doing the Hanen 'More than words' programme, but so far not much response from the wee man, but we'll keep at it.

 

His paediatrician said something pretty obvious (but had never crossed my mind :wacko:); 'He has to want to communicate.'

 

So, I suppose our job is to give him as many reasons to communicate with us as we can think of...

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Tom does the brute force dragging around as well :D. He's surprisingly strong for his size :blink:

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Hi

 

my son was 4 1/2 before he said the first word & that was because we started using pecs it seemed to be the trigger for him.

 

Thats not to say it works for everyone - each child is unique & different

 

But really for us its all about communicating & as long as we have communicatio between us & him that is what helps us all have a better life - less frustration - stress etc

 

Keep giving incentives to communicate - never give up!

 

Nikki

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my wee boy was pretty non-verbal at 2.5yrs old. We had a care worker in yday and she was impressed with his communication. He is now 6 and has started to tell us what he would like etc........

 

We started on the Hanen programme and i think it was very productive for my son when he was around 2.5 years old.

 

Re pecs (picture and exchange) - chocolate buttons have a special place in my heart as this was the thing that he clicked with first when using these symbols! :wub:

 

Forbsay

x

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Hi

 

Char was very late talking and when he did start it was key words ie....Pop,Eat etc.... Not the usual Mam, Dada.He now has speach but it is very on his terms and about what he wants.He can't hold proper conversations (he's 4 years and 10 months ) but does like to repeat words and shout loudly.We did PEC's and macaton and found these helped us help him cummunicate to us.

 

 

Lisa x

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Kyle said Oh Dear when he was about 14 months old, and that was it. We still hear it occasionally, he goes through phases of saying it, sometimes appropriately (his portage worker was most impressed when he said it when she dropped somthing on the floor!!)

 

He is 4 now, and we started using PECS a year ago. He started off well, because he loves food, but we've had trouble getting him to use other symbols as he's not interested in anything but eating. When I refused him chocolate at Easter he said "oi oo want" I had to give him some then! :lol:

 

We've had the odd word, but nothing consistent. I'm sure he can talk, lol, but as someone said he's got to want to communicate, and understand what it's for.

 

He drags us around too, usually to the kitchen for food! (sometimes to the back door if he wants to play in the garden)

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