9.06.2007

while they're sleeping ....

I thought I better post this before both of the kids wake up. Which will probably be any minute now that I've jinxed myself.

Anyhoo. I wanted to get this down before I forget. Yesterday while the behavior analyst was here for Holden's therapy, he was stimming on little plastic pieces to the game "Perfection". He was gathering them and dropping them off the side of his table. Picking them up, dropping them again. Rinse, repeat x 20. So, I got on the floor with him and started "stimming" with him. I would let him drop them ... but in my hands, instead of on the floor. At first, he pushed my hands away. Then, after the 2nd attempt, he let me catch them. He smiled. We did this a few times. I would interrupt him and tickle him, and then let him go back to doing what he was doing. The interruptions didn't seem to anger him at all. He continued to let me join in with him, and after a while, we started working on signs. I would take the plastic pieces and not let him have them until he said "Please" (by signing it). After the 3rd attempt, he was signing "please" with only a verbal prompt.

I did this with him for about an hour nonstop. Yes, the behavior analyst was here, but, apparently, she was only doing "parent training" cause I was the one on the floor, interacting with him. But, that's another story.

Anyway, after she left, the speech therapist came over about 5 minutes later. She commented on how much more interactive he was. How much more verbal he was. And what a better mood he was in. I think by me joining in with him - it really opened the door for him to engage with us. I've heard of the "Son Rise" method, and even have an online friend who runs the program for her son. Yesterday was the first time I've seen it actually work!

Also, yesterday afternoon - I called for Holden to come eat. He didn't respond, so I called him again. I said "it's time to eat, Holden, come to mommy". He stopped what he was doing and came to me. Then, after eating, he sat on the floor and started stimming with a book - turning the pages over and over again. I stood about 20 feet from him and said "Holden, it's time for bath, come see mommy". He didn't respond, so I said it again. The 2nd time, he put the book down, got up, and walked over to me. Took my hand and took me to the stairs. The bath is upstairs. So, this tells me that not only did he respond to me, but that he UNDERSTOOD me. So, I had a few "wow" moments yesterday. It was a good day...

No comments: