AAC Device – 5

Aethestic – Talking to Me – Amerie
Mood- All I Do Is Win- DJ Khalid

Today my son used his Assisted Technology Device (AAC) to ask me for granola.

It was late at night. His tablet had died and that upset him. I put him inside his sensory pod swing inside our sensory gym/ living room to help regulate his mood and lessen his frustration. This worked momentarily. As soon as we experienced the transition from out of the swing he was back on a stroll, looking for a tablet that wasn’t dead.

He found his way in my room where all the tablets are stored but the only one out and available was his AAC Device. This is a mini iPad that was provided to me by the Department of Education (DOE) as a means of my son communicating. It was a fight to receive the device, but victory was won.
I am unable to download any applications on it unless I request it through the DOE. It comes loaded with a few basic applications like google classroom, google chrome, safari, health, notepad, weather, camera, photos, iTunes and GOTALK.

Gotalk is the application used on my son’s AAC Device to help my son communicate his wants and needs. Prolinquo is one of the more popular applications that I always hear about. From my experience the concept and strategy layout of both apps are very similar. Think of it as a digital-speaking, picture exchange communication system aka PECS. Pecs can be an essential resource for children especially those who are visual thinkers. It is communication using pictures. It can be just pictures or a mix of pictures and words. When using PECS on an AAC device- pictures, words, and sounds are all combined. If the device is programmed correctly, the user can use it to express their wants and needs. It can be even used to have conversations.

At first it was a struggle because he knows his AAC device is an iPad. When he sees an iPad he wants to go on YouTube. At first he didn’t know how to get YouTube on the AAC device because it stayed on guided access locked into the GOTALK app. Up until he went to kindergarten and his public school connected the wifi on the tablet and allowed him on YouTube during school hours. This still pIsses me off. That however is a rant for another time.We fortunately have surpassed the YouTube struggle with the habit of the wifi remaining off and guided access being enabled. Now he can focus on using the tablet for it’s intended use- communication.

He doesn’t carry it around all day, but he does use it to make requests. This is game changing especially in frustrating moments when his needs aren’t being met.
Tonight after he found the tablet he was able to request a snack which was granola and water. After he ate his granola and drunk his juice he went to bed on his own and straight to sleep. I would have never guessed to give him granola. A night that could have been filled with frustration, whining, crying and fighting to get him to fall asleep, ended up being peaceful.

Miscommunication is one of the biggest reasons for behaviors we label as defiant, bad, unruly, angry, aggressive, hyperactive, moody, and dis-regulated. Most of the time their is a need not being properly expressed, received and/or met. My son using an AAC device doesn’t mean he won’t speak. He will still speak. In the meantime it is teaching him sequence, coordination, memorization and helping him to express hisself.

All we do is win.

Thats an Autism < Mommy> Win