Tag: non-verbal communication
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It Takes A Team
Even though I am working with Tony on his tolerance of the school environment and the behavioral skills requisite directly during the two hours he’s currently at the school itself, I am also needing to do other things outside of school to promote the best outcomes. As his habilitative therapist, we are practicing skills such…
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Any Moment Can Become Therapy
I had stepped out of the house during the last few minutes of physical therapy earlier this week to take out the trash. When I came back in, I noticed Tony was limping as he walked over to his speech device and asked me to help him. Apparently he had used his foot to move…
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Public Comments and Open Letter on Proposed Changes to the AAC Policy for Division of Developmental Disabilities Recipients
Earlier this week I submitted comments to the Division of Developmental Disabilities as part of a legally mandated public comment period for proposed changes to the policy that governs prior authorization for assistive speech device technology, or AAC. For a while now my posting schedule has been every Friday, however I felt like for those…
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R.I.P. Speech Device
This is one of those weeks where I was initially planning on writing about an entirely different subject. I am going to move that previously planned post to a different week because I feel current events require a change in plans. Today, Tony’s original speech device died (this is the device he’s been using since…
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Give It Some Time
This is a picture of Tony’s current AAC device that was taken right after he requested to watch one of his favorite Tinker Bell movies early Thursday afternoon. And as a picture, it communicates even less than our little man did in the asking. You don’t know how long it took him to make these…
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Speech Device Battle Coverage Update & Notice to Cure
This is an impromptu post for the week, and my originally planned post with a few videos will still be running on Friday. I will do my very best to keep that one much shorter. More than a month ago, someone forwarded to me the original media alert sent out by the Autism Society of…
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Speech Device Update: Denial Received & Initial Response
Today, Andy and I took turns waiting at home to sign for a letter from the department of the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities that handles applications for speech devices regarding their ultimate decision on the recommendations of the AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) evaluator. For those of you new to this blog, I will…
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Additional Information: New Speech (AAC) Device Policy by AZ DDD Disputed
My sweet husband Andy reads each of my weekly posts. After reading last month’s post “So Many Questions,” which was written about the challenges our family had been experiencing trying to obtain an updated and medically appropriate speech device for our son (whose current device has been malfunctioning for nearly a year now), he noted…
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So Many Questions…
This is a post that is- and yet isn’t- about me. As I contemplated how I wanted to approach writing a bit more about our holidays this year, I knew that what would feel most joyful for some to read would be focused on the superficial aspects. A diorama of Christmas trappings and traditions as…
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A Year of Gifts
So much of the gift giving in our communities is concentrated and condensed into days of prescribed celebration. But some of the best presents have trickled in bit by bit this past year, oft ill-wrapped by other circumstances and generally unannounced by fanfare, tags, or cards. Perhaps they are small compared to what some would…