Pictures
Well, the picture schedules are working very well. I'm trying not to overdo it, because we also want to encourage Zoë's verbal skills, but I do use the pictures to communicate to her what's going to happen, what plans we have, etc.
Today we went to the movies (we saw "The Incredibles"), so I made up a picture schedule that included putting our shoes on, going in the car, going to get popcorn (from the fancy popcorn place in the shopping center; much nicer than the theatre popcorn), going to the movie, getting back in the car, and coming home.
Zoë was thrilled with the pictures, and I showed her what they were, told her what they meant, etc. For the first one, putting shoes on, she sat down and took one shoe off so she could put it back on and follow the schedule!
She was pretty okay in movies, although toward the end there were some pretty intense scenes and she was a little frazzled by that. She kept coming over for hugs, and she got her picture schedule to hold (maybe as a reminder that we'd eventually go?) and finally I got her to sit in her stroller, which seemed to comfort her (we always sit near the spaces for wheelchairs so we can put the strollers in, and we go to matinees so there are fewer people there).
When we got home, she got into a fight with her sister over a balloon and Andrew finally took it away entirely. Zoë had managed to work herself up into a tizzy, she was just practically hysterical. I got the idea that maybe we could help her with pictures, so I printed a full-page illustration of "no crying" and it actually worked. She saw the picture on the computer screen before it printed and we talked about what it meant, and she immediately started trying to calm down and stop crying. By the time the picture was printed, she was mostly settled, and she took the picture and said, over and over, "no crying, no crying". It was almost magic, I was really stunned!
I think we'll make a few full-page illustrations of the very useful and necessary images and get them laminated, and then we'll think about having some smaller picture cards laminated for other kinds of communication.
I'm definitely considering meeting with Zoë's teachers and getting a general outline of the typical day and making up a picture schedule for her to use. I might also think about how to do a weekly schedule that shows when they're going to pre-school or playgroup or whatever (not sure how to pull that one off, though, heh).
Picture schedule
Well, I signed up for Make-a-Schedule today, and printed out a quickie schedule for what's going to happen this evening. Zoë couldn't be more thrilled. She was thrilled when the printer spit out the page (she's quite fascinated with printers), she was thrilled when I showed her the pictures and told her what they were for, and she ran off with the page, very happily pointing to the pictures and saying what they were.
We shall see how it goes, of course, but so far, she's pretty excited about it. Hopefully, this will help her to understand what's going on and what to expect.
Doctor
Zoë saw her pediatrician today. We generally see her every six months or so, just for general discussion, check of Zoë's height and weight, and to have any necessary tests ordered. Today we mostly talked about Zoë's progress, and her behavior issues and such.
Next time we go, we'll have to get referrals for a bunch of tests (psychologist and speech assessment, another formal hearing test, possibly another EEG, etc.). Zoë will need all this stuff in order to apply for either an assistant/aide to work with her at a mainstream school next year, or to qualify for a special school (there is one for autistic children not too far from where we live, but I don't know much about it at this time).
Right now, the advice is pretty much keep doing what we're doing, and go ahead with the plans to set up picture boards for scheduling and possibly for communication, but really she's doing okay on the communication, as these things go.
Speaking of picture cards, we checked with a local shop that carries them and while the ones there were good, they weren't really what we're looking for. I think I will get a subscription with do2Learn and just print them myself on the fly. I might even see about getting a laminator (pretty inexpensive, these days) and laminating the sheets myself.
One good thing that Zoë did today was decide what she wanted for lunch. We went to a food court in a shopping center and asked Zoë if she wanted McDonald's, KFC, or a hot dog, and she very clearly said "I eat McDonald's". When her dad quizzed her to make sure, she said, "No eat fish," or "No eat hot dog," or "No eat KFC," and then finally repeated, "I eat McDonald's." Full sentences in response to questions! Yay!
I think we need to get a printer...
...or we need to repair the printer we have.
Zoë had speech therapy today for the first time in quite a while, and I discussed the use of picture cards for not only communication, but to help Zoë understand what's going on, when things will happen, etc. (schedules). She's doing all right with understanding communication, in fact, but there are still big gaps in her ability to know what's going on. Pictures can help that, and lessen her anxiety about being in a situation where she doesn't know what to expect.
I had a look at some professional picture and scheduling software and the one initially mentioned is terribly expensive. Not that I think she's not worth it, but there are other, better options available, ones that wouldn't break the bank, particularly considering that we need a new printer.
Right now I'm looking at the Make-A-Schedule program from Do-to-Learn. Haven't settled on it yet (might be interested in buying pre-made picture cards, if I can find some), but it looks like a good option, anyway.
Feeling a bit better
We've started Zoë on a different multi-vitamin, one that was particularly recommended for autistic children. She does seem to be in better form today, but I don't know if it's the vitamins doing it, or if it's just that she slept well or if she's just settling back into a routine after Christmas.
Whatever it is, it's a welcome change. When Zoë is in one of her moods, she manages to stress out the entire household, possibly including the cats...
Cranky girl
Zoë seems somewhat overwhelmed with things. We went for a trip to the beach a couple days ago and that was fun but exhausting for her (very stimulating, all the new sensations and things to see and people to meet, since we went to meet with an internet friend of mine). Also, Uncle David is here, and while she seems to adore him, it's kind of weird for her to have him here.
Mostly, though, she went one day too many without her usual iron supplements, and today she's been very oppositional and difficult to manage. At the moment, she's hiding out in the bathroom, refusing to wash her hands. Eventually, when she decides for herself that she wants to wash her hands, she will, but for now, she won't, because she just won't.
A Zoë will do what a Zoë will do and there's no doing anything about it.
|