Aspies For Freedom

Guys,

I need a bit of help/ advice if anyone is able.  I'm trying to help a young woman with a 3 1/2 year old (pretty sure he's autistic).  She says he is severely hung up on his routines. Finds things based on their location... or at least we know he can't find something if it is out of its usual location.  Little boy has a lot of sensory issues including difficulty initiating motor actions.  The only thing he'll initiate to ask for is to tell her he's hungry. Mom says he will fixate on one small favorite toy for hours at a time and crys unendingly if it is misplaced or lost until refound.  Yet he doesn't ( I think more likely  he can't initiate to ask for help in finding it).  Instead he just crys until she asks him what is the matter.  Even though the little guy can talk but I'm still thinking the picture exchange communication system (PECs) might be helpful to him, in essence giving him a familiar object (the picture) to help him cue his speech.  Any of you guys have similar difficulties with initiation when little.  If so what adaptations and/or coping strategies helped you. Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks ahead for taking a look at this.

MomofHrick

Hi,
I would say to try the PECs .  My son had a lot of tantrums when he was small because we didnt know what he wanted. He was nonverbal but the PECs helped a lot. I always keep the book in the same spot and even now when he cant say what he wants I'll ask him "where's your book". He'll get it and look through until he finds what he wants. He hasnt had a tantrum from lack of getting what he wants so it works. I have a ton of PECs in his book! Best wishes.

Our son (4) has sometimes similar difficulties in expressing what he's missing. As he had hearing problems, too, we have tried sign language. Sometimes, it works better for him that spoken language. But of course, there must be an adult around who understands his signs. Perhaps there are parent/child courses available (we use a computer programme, but it's in German: "Tommys Gebärdenwelt")

Am recommend Makaton signing-it's based on actions more than than words,
eg,want drink,need toilet,need food etc.
With ASL/BSL,there's a lot more steps to it,and it can be extremely difficult or impossible to learn if are information overloaded easily.
It was designed for people with learning difficulties to back up speech.

Am use it as BSL overloaded,am find that people who haven't even had makaton training can understand at least some of the signs.

Deffinately use what works, there's a great deal of variation in autism.  

Some kids with autism have difficultly initiating/carrying through the motions of signs and find PECs easier.

If you don't have access to board maker (your local school can probably order if they don't already own it), you can just use clip art.  make sure there is a label associated with each picture to support your consistancy.

They can be organized in a three ring binder, each page or group of pages arranged by category.

Signs (makaton, signed english, etc) & visual supports can also help listening comrehension.

Perhaps that link is of any help: YAACC.
If the toy/s he misses is/are usually stored at the same place, you could take a picture of it/them in situ so he can show you which one he's missing at that given moment.

Thank you for the response. I will pass all of this information on to her.

YAACC: great site; very informative!!!