Re: Kim -Grief ( very long)

[Guest guest]

Vicky,

I remember a frienc visiting me in the hospital when Bryce was born.

She had recently lost her child who had Down's Syndrome. She told me that with

a special needs child the lows would be lower but the highs would be higher as

well. I think this sums up what you were saying with the thrill of each new

development. I just hung up the phone from a call from a kid in Bryce's 1st

grade class. Tomorrow I am starting a class after school for the kid's wanting

to

learn cued speech (the method of communication we use with Bryce). This Mom

called to see if her child could still get in the class. I think about 20 kids

are coming to learn how to communicate with Bryce. I wept when I hung up

thinking of the ways in which these kids have gone out of their way to welcome

Bryce into their worlds. I didn't experience those kinds of highs with my

typical

daughter.

When I listen to other Moms now talk about the things I use to talk about, I

feel somewhat jealous but also bored.Life with a Charger will never be boring!

Deedee

[Guest guest]

DeeDee,

Having a cued speech class for other kids is awesome, and that so many of

them are interested in learning. It makes me cry too.

Kim

Re: Kim -Grief ( very long)

Vicky,

I remember a frienc visiting me in the hospital when Bryce was born.

She had recently lost her child who had Down's Syndrome. She told me that

with

a special needs child the lows would be lower but the highs would be higher

as

well. I think this sums up what you were saying with the thrill of each new

development. I just hung up the phone from a call from a kid in Bryce's 1st

grade class. Tomorrow I am starting a class after school for the kid's

wanting to

learn cued speech (the method of communication we use with Bryce). This Mom

called to see if her child could still get in the class. I think about 20

kids

are coming to learn how to communicate with Bryce. I wept when I hung up

thinking of the ways in which these kids have gone out of their way to

welcome

Bryce into their worlds. I didn't experience those kinds of highs with my

typical

daughter.

When I listen to other Moms now talk about the things I use to talk about, I

feel somewhat jealous but also bored.Life with a Charger will never be

boring!

Deedee

[Guest guest]

The language class is fabulous! I am thinking of starting some kind of

sign language club so that Aubrie, me, and friends can learn sign

together. It'll be a while before I get on it, but you're news is

encouraging!

Michele W

ungethe@... wrote:

> Vicky,

> I remember a frienc visiting me in the hospital when Bryce was

> born.

> She had recently lost her child who had Down's Syndrome. She told me

> that with

> a special needs child the lows would be lower but the highs would be

> higher as

> well. I think this sums up what you were saying with the thrill of

> each new

> development. I just hung up the phone from a call from a kid in

> Bryce's 1st

> grade class. Tomorrow I am starting a class after school for the kid's

> wanting to

> learn cued speech (the method of communication we use with Bryce).

> This Mom

> called to see if her child could still get in the class. I think about

> 20 kids

> are coming to learn how to communicate with Bryce. I wept when I hung up

> thinking of the ways in which these kids have gone out of their way to

> welcome

> Bryce into their worlds. I didn't experience those kinds of highs with

> my typical

> daughter.

>

> When I listen to other Moms now talk about the things I use to talk

> about, I

> feel somewhat jealous but also bored.Life with a Charger will never be

> boring!

>

> Deedee

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sign language clubs, etc. are a great thing. We did them when was

small, unfortunately they were always run by the school. When 1 second

grade class became the 3rd. grade, the club remained in the 2nd. grade.

In other words, was always starting at square one. I know of one

family in a small Missouri town that was able to write it into their child's

IEP that their child would continue with the same kids throughout school.

This was totally successful. Martha

[Guest guest]

and Kim,

The cued speech class was a big hit. 8 kids from Bryce's first grade

class came and about 20 5th graders. (The 5th graders adore Bryce and think he

is really cool. Their reward for being good every week in class is to sit with

Bryce at lunch!!! Can you believe it?!?!? I don't want them to go to middle

school next year!) They may not really learn to cue but taking the class will

de-mystify the differences between them and Bryce. Last year, I taught his

Kindergarten class during school time for 15 minutes twice a week. But we

switched

schools this year. I hope a handful of kids Bryce's age will really learn to

cue and then I will request that these kids stay in Bryce's class year to

year.

The other parents have all been thrilled for their kids to have the

opportunity to learn to care for someone different from themselves too. It's a

win-win situation. Let me know if you decide to try it too.

Kim, I'm not very familiar with the PECS system Dylan uses. Is that

something his peers could learn to interact with him?

Deedee.

Deedee

[Guest guest]

Vicky,

Wow! 3steps that is HUGE! I'm glad you got a " pick me up " today!

Deedee

[Guest guest]

I'm so glad for your success!!! If and when I get the ball rolling

here, I'll let you know!

Michele W

ungethe@... wrote:

> and Kim,

> The cued speech class was a big hit. 8 kids from Bryce's first

> grade

> class came and about 20 5th graders. (The 5th graders adore Bryce and

> think he

> is really cool. Their reward for being good every week in class is to

> sit with

> Bryce at lunch!!! Can you believe it?!?!? I don't want them to go to

> middle

> school next year!) They may not really learn to cue but taking the

> class will

> de-mystify the differences between them and Bryce. Last year, I taught

> his

> Kindergarten class during school time for 15 minutes twice a week. But

> we switched

> schools this year. I hope a handful of kids Bryce's age will really

> learn to

> cue and then I will request that these kids stay in Bryce's class year to

> year.

> The other parents have all been thrilled for their kids to have

> the

> opportunity to learn to care for someone different from themselves

> too. It's a

> win-win situation. Let me know if you decide to try it too.

> Kim, I'm not very familiar with the PECS system Dylan uses. Is

> that

> something his peers could learn to interact with him?

>

> Deedee.

>

>

> Deedee

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

PECS is Picture Exchange Communication System. It is used in autism

education. It requires the child, someone communicating across from them,

and a prompter that stands behind the child. The child is specifically

taught the reciprocal exchange involved in communication. It was adapted

for Dylan due to his hearing loss. It makes me think of Sally Prouty who

said she knew she had to let know a response was required. (I'm

still trying to get there.)

Dylan's team is working very hard to help Dylan interact more with his

peers. Dylan does not respond attentively to sign language, so deaf adults

often feel there is no point in signing to him. Can you imagine how that

would be for a deaf kid, if the adults who know why he is not looking

withdraw? He's not looking at me, why should I sign to him. They aren't

getting the feedback needed for communication to happen.

We also know that Dylan attends visually when we do tactual sign. The OT

thinks this is in part because there is a neurological alerting response

when the palms of both hands are engaged. (Perhaps that is why he could

walk better when he was holding a cue in his hand than when his hands were

free) Because of this we are teaching the deaf peers to tactual sign with

Dylan.

I think it is similar to what you are doing teaching the other kids to cue.

The other kids want to communicate, but don't know how, so they tend to

withdraw over time if they don't get a response back. We are trying to

build up Dylan's social responses.

At the same time that we are teaching them Dylan's language, we are trying

to increase Dylan's awareness of how the other kids are communicating.

Kim

Re: Kim -Grief ( very long)

and Kim,

The cued speech class was a big hit. 8 kids from Bryce's first grade

class came and about 20 5th graders. (The 5th graders adore Bryce and think

he

is really cool. Their reward for being good every week in class is to sit

with

Bryce at lunch!!! Can you believe it?!?!? I don't want them to go to middle

school next year!) They may not really learn to cue but taking the class

will

de-mystify the differences between them and Bryce. Last year, I taught his

Kindergarten class during school time for 15 minutes twice a week. But we

switched

schools this year. I hope a handful of kids Bryce's age will really learn to

cue and then I will request that these kids stay in Bryce's class year to

year.

The other parents have all been thrilled for their kids to have the

opportunity to learn to care for someone different from themselves too. It's

a

win-win situation. Let me know if you decide to try it too.

Kim, I'm not very familiar with the PECS system Dylan uses. Is that

something his peers could learn to interact with him?

Deedee.

Deedee