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Has anyone been filmed for the Hanen Program ?

30 replies

cyberseraphim · 25/11/2008 19:24

We are being filmed tomorrow but I'm panicking about what to (try to ) get DS1 to do for the camera. What do they expect ? We have been filmed before at the hospital and it went surprisingly well but there was no warning beforehand so the play was unforced and natural.

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TotalChaos · 25/11/2008 19:30

Yes! It's fine, pick a toy/book/activity that he's interested in, and hopefully he'll join in with you.

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lingle · 25/11/2008 19:44

good luck cyber. Would be interested to hear of how they do feedback as there isn't a course available where I am.

Hmm, actually, I'm beginning to suspect that as with so much else in life there might be a course if I pushed for it.......

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nuru · 25/11/2008 20:02

Have been involved in it.
Get a small range of activities that normally interest him and then go with the flow - remember they'll be looking for how comfortable you are getting with the strategies like following the child's lead, OWLing etc. so it's best not to try and plan too much (otherwise it'll be your lead, not his!).
Make sure you're in a familiar area of the house where he normally plays so he'll feel comfortable and will be able to access other toys independently if he doesn't fancy the ones you have got out!
Good luck!

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sphil · 25/11/2008 20:06

We're being filmed tomorrow too! DH is doing the course but has conveniently swanned off to Birmingham for the week, so I've got to do it. I was wondering if I should plan something, or just let it all flow

Lingle - we are the only family on the course who referred themselves .

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TotalChaos · 25/11/2008 20:09

as far as I am aware we were the only family on the course who after being chucked off by the SALT leading the course got our own SALT to get us back on . (for the It Takes Two Course), the speech delay one, it's techically meant for kids with up to 50 words.

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sphil · 25/11/2008 20:21

Why were you chucked off TC?

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TotalChaos · 25/11/2008 20:26

because DS speech was supposedly too good .

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lingle · 25/11/2008 20:28

TC, I always warm to people who get chucked off things, and have fond memories of being expelled from Durham University Choral Society
Seriously, why were you chucked off?

Had no idea that "It takes two" is supposed to be for kids up to 50 words. The book certainly isn't is it? Does that mean no-one would let me on it?

Who films you and is your LO aware of the camera? mine always stops what he is doing and says "smile" and stares into the camera only now he's 3 he'd try to get it off me and take the film himself....

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TotalChaos · 25/11/2008 20:32

yes, I found that odd as well - the course is certainly useful even for combiners like DS. If you find anywhere it's run locally, just try and badger your way on anyway, it's really well worth doing. And have to say the two SALT running it were absolutely brill, by far the best of the NHS SALTs in terms of skill and compassion. One of them was American, and I think that does make a difference in terms of pro-active attitude.

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nuru · 25/11/2008 21:06

It most certainly isn't just for children with up to 50 words - I would only hazard a guess that that is something your local SLT dept has dreamed up to limit access for some reason. I would imagine the Hanen powers that be would not be very happy to hear that!

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TotalChaos · 25/11/2008 21:08

there was something in the Hanen produced course info that backed up the assertion about the 50 words - that thought had crossed my mind as well that it was local SALT being arbitrary.!

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nuru · 25/11/2008 21:21

50 words is significant, as it is not usually until a child has 50 single words that they are ready to start combining words (in general - of course, there are exceptions to this 'rule').
So much of the Hanen content is relevant across all levels of language (and parenting generally). Why do professionals have to be so exclusive?? grrrrr!

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sphil · 25/11/2008 23:27

That's odd TC - DH says that there are a number of very verbal kids whose parents are on his course. Bit depressing for us really, as DS2 is the least verbal one....he doesn't seem to have heard of the 50 word rule as he has at least 200 single words but isn't combining at all (apart from learnt phrases like 'wash hands').

Lol at your DS and the camera Lingle - DS2 is also very aware when he is being filmed nowadays, which doesn't make for the most natural of videos. We get lots of sudden close-ups!

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TotalChaos · 26/11/2008 18:10

sphil - are you on the More than Words Course or It Takes Two To Talk? As possibly there are different criteria (or possibly my SALT dept just makes them up as they go along )

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sphil · 26/11/2008 21:01

More Than Words. I didn't even know there was another one!

How did it go today Cyber? Ours went OK, though DS2 was very aware of the camera and any speaking he did was in a teeny tiny voice almost inaudible to the human ear .He warmed up hugely once the camera was off. The SALT was good - she suggested that we are asking too many questions and need to interpret his non-verbal cues more. So when he comes bouncing up to me I always ask 'What do you want?' rather than sometimes saying "Play with me!" She reckons that this is a possible way to move him on from one-word requests, which is where we've pretty much stuck for the last two years. She had other good suggestions too.
Hope yours went well

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cyberseraphim · 26/11/2008 21:18

We played a game with balloons ( Little brother DS2 is 2 today !!). DS1 loves balloons and wants them blown up so he can watch them deflate. Similar to your experience in that SALt suggested reducing language to basics. She noticed that he has immediate echolalia to some extent so suggested that I hold up the ballon and say 'Blow up Balloon'' then wait for him to repeat the phrase before blowing it up for him. Then we faded up the prompt and got him to say ' Blow up Balloon' on his own. Nothing ground breaking but better than I was expecting as he had been quite hyper in the lead up to the visit. The SALt was lovely though and had a lot of good advice. I'm not looking forward to next week though when we have to watch the video clips !!! How much wine will they serve ???

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nuru · 26/11/2008 21:28

great to hear it went well for both of you and that you got some helpful tips. the watching gets easier the more you do it

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sphil · 26/11/2008 21:28

Oh god, do they show the clips at the next one? I didn't know that (Dh normally goes). I was rolling around the bed with DS2 showing great acres of muffin top. The shame...

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nuru · 26/11/2008 21:36

hopefully your SALT will be kind and edit 'sympathetically'

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jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 26/11/2008 21:39

200 words Sphil? That's fab.

DS1 is actually combining words. Not in speech of course but today he brought me the PECS for book and signed 'school' (he wanted the book with pictures of his school in) I was mightily impressed. Although less impressed when I couldn't find it (did eventually) and he trashed the place

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eidsvold · 26/11/2008 21:57

Did you have no guidance as to what to do.

We always had some hints/suggestions of what to do. The first one we just played with something we knew dd1 would be interested in.

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lingle · 27/11/2008 09:27

Yay little jimjams combining words.

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jimjamshaslefttheyurt · 27/11/2008 10:38

I don't think it counts as 2 keywords - but I was impressed at the combined use of PECS and sign to make something clear (usually I get presented with book then need to find the correct book amongst 10000s)

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sphil · 27/11/2008 22:37

Well, only about 100 of his words are used spontaneously - the others are only used if you ask 'What's this?' or echoed, so not sure if they count as true vocab. And a quarter of those 100 words are TV programmes or characters .

Very clever of Ds1 to use two different communication methods together!

They did show the bit of me in bed, complete with bulging love handles. I HATE low rise trousers. You couldn't see DS2 at all - he was under the duvet all the time. Useless bit of video really, though the SALT did make some good points arising from it. He came out as soon as the video was switched off and was then very verbal/interactive - but of course none of that could be shown at the course. Just my pale flesh - sigh...

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lingle · 28/11/2008 09:54

Sphil - when I look back at my past vocab lists for DS2 one thing that changes as the months progress is the decreasing proportion of words that are names of songs, characters, names of Thomas engines etc. I think I always want him to be meeting some kind of target - I'm too embarrassed to even tell you all some of the words I counted!

So I thought he had 200 words in August and wrote them down BUT looking back at that list he really had about 60/70 words that are likely to be useful in forming a sentence. Then he started combining on 22nd September.

So if you reassess little sphil's words at say 75, then you may be at the stage where exciting things start to happen......fingers crossed.

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