In October, Kevin started going to art class at our church’s day school. We were with the 8th graders but switched to 3rd grade after winter break. The 8th grade projects were too challenging to adapt. The first week we went to 3rd grade class went perfectly fine. The kids were very friendly and talkative.
The second week we arrived at school and went to check in at office and when I got his Talker out so he could say hello to the people in the office he threw down the Talker and was really upset and crying. The principal happened to be there which was good because she helped by taking us in empty conference room to help him calm down. Every time I tried to get him to communicate with Talker he pushed it away and got more upset. Thankfully he finally calmed down so we could go to class but I kept the Talker in my bag. Initially I had thought he was upset because it’s an early morning class and our morning routine was a little rushed. The next two weeks school was cancelled on our art day but we went to the Friday Mass with the entire school which we’ve been doing for years. I always have his Talker and the last song included a word that repeated often enough to use the Talker...which I’ve done before and when I got it out he quickly pushed it away. I immediately thought that it’s the Talker that he’s getting upset over...which was probably the case the week before. I was surprised because before winter break when we were with 8th grade class he used it often and that’s when he said MEAT NOONE. So I’m not sure if he just finally realized it’s different...or because 3rd graders are more chatty than 8th graders or what but I never felt that anyone made him feel different in any way. Everyone has been very welcoming and friendly to us. So now...I’m not sure what to do with his Talker if it triggers him to get upset...and I don’t want the kids to see him like that if possible. I don’t feel like it sends a good message if we don’t use the Talker. My initial thoughts are for me to use it and not prompt Kevin to use it at this time. Maybe show some kids to use it and take interest in it...and maybe that would make Kevin feel more comfortable. This is assuming that this is the issue.
This is Kevin's SLP reply back to my email above:
As far as the talker situation - I COMPLETELY agree with your ideas, you must have been reading my mind! I would do exactly this, as you typed: "My initial thoughts are for me to use it and not prompt Kevin to use it at this time. Maybe show some kids to use it and take interest in it...and maybe that would make Kevin feel more comfortable."
I would try that first and see how it goes for a while. I would think that after Kevin gets to see other people using it, he would be like "hey, that's mine! I use that!" and be okay with using it again. It really might be that he sees it as making him different, which although it is troublesome because he gets upset, shows that he is continuing to develop cognitively and across other domains because he recognizes the difference - and that is an awesome thing!
Trust your gut - you are truly an AAC therapist now, and I am so proud of everything you do for Kevin, as well as how you think and problem solve when it comes to AAC. Kevin is so unbelievably lucky to have you!
Everything turned out ok and I'm not quite sure what the trigger was but it made me feel good that she told me I am "truly an AAC therapist now" :)
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