Sometimes I take photos of Kevin in therapy to help me remember how to do an activity with Kevin at home and sometimes it's just because I'm so proud of him!
Holding the ball in his left arm for 5 seconds and then put it in basket with 2 hands.
He's sporting his new hoodie and new t-shirt...which was a hit!
🎶You're Welcome🎶
Kevin started the new year off right by having some awesome days in therapy.
Kevin brought one of his Christmas gifts to PT - a light up basketball!
A couple months ago Kevin started keeping his left hand on the stationary handle on the elliptical. Here, Kevin put his left hand on the moving arm with no prompting and did a really good job of holding on and trying to get it back on when it came off. I guess time off for holiday break was good for him.
Video 1: Elliptical with left hand on moving arm 1/8/19
Video 2: Kevin on the elliptical again but with his left hand on the stationary handle...it's easier for his legs to go a little faster with his left hand stationary rather than moving like in the first video. 1/8/19
Video 3: Kevin walking on the treadmill. 1/8/19
Video 4: Kevin started independently bouncing a little on the trampoline. 1/8/19
Video 5: Kevin kicking the ball with right and left foot. 1/8/19
Video 6: Obstacle Course #1 on 1/22/19
Video 7: Obstacle Course #3 on 1/22/19
Video 8: Starting to ride the scooter independently with no left hand support! 2/22/19
Kevin also started riding an adult size trike bike at PT. The pedaling is different from his trike bike but he was picking it up pretty quickly. He was also doing a good job keeping his feet on the pedals without straps. He's outgrowing the trike bike we have for him so we are beginning to talk about options to replace it.
This winter we finally learned how to do weekends together as a family. After being on the program for 10 years and doing a Saturday morning program it has taken us (maybe me) a few years to learn to relax and enjoy Saturday mornings. It helped that we kept our Christmas tree up until Super Bowl weekend and Kevin would ask to watch the Polar Express movie...every Saturday morning. After the tree came down...it switched to Moana every Saturday morning. Jon reads the paper and we can chat and quote the movie together. I'll be looking forward to better weather when we can sit together on the front porch on Saturday mornings.
On the other hand...Kevin's been acting just like a typical kid his age by spending less time with his parents during his evening free time. When Kevin does decide to join us for a TV show in the evening, we watch a recorded Wheel of Fortune...still a family favorite after all these years. Kevin thinks it's so funny when he uses his Talker to say GO FAST DAD during the commercial to fast forward...sometimes the commercials are over by the time he says it all on the Talker...but it is very entertaining to watch him giggle over it. When the show is over, Kevin says OFF to turn off the tv and BED. Good family entertainment!
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" :)
The other night Jon and Kevin were secluded upstairs watching TV while I hosted my Wild Goose Sisters. Jon said Kevin had started dozing off but perked right up when he heard this guy’s VOICE on the TV show. The Lost Voice Guy is a performing comedian on America's Got Talent and he uses a communication device. He won Britains Got Talent Show.
