advise re PECS please

[JackTheNipper]

DS nearly 3 with QCP but excellent understanding is having difficulty communicating, he has the odd word like 'again' which he uses with an eye point when he wants something.
just recently we have been to Brainwave where they have suggested PECS.
The only thing is we have no idea where to start, any suggestions?

[TotalChaos]

these people are the experts in PECs:-

www.pecs.org.uk/general/what.htm

do you have decent SALT? just thinking that a specialist SALT could advise as to whether PECs or something more hi-tech, like a VOCA would be more appropriate.

[Chundle]

Ok I have just made dd2 a pecs book as salt suggested it. There are several free websites to download pecs images from and you can also make your own from photos etc.
I got an a5 folder from whsmith then got some hard cardboard to make 'pages', bought some Velcro and put Velcro strips across the pages in 3 lines. Then I go my images and laminated then and stuck a Velcro bit on the back. We have a breakfast page, a fruit page and a toy page and we are adding more this week. Salt said start with 2 or 3 on a page then build up. We now have 6 on a page for dd to choose and she manages this ok.
Sorry can't post links but
Free websites are
Do2learn
Pictoselector (this one has thousand of free images)

[JackTheNipper]

oh thats brilliant thank you very much.
SALT here are a bit pants it has to be said, she has given DS a big mac which he got instantly but would only say one thing.
she has said at the last mdt meeting that she would look into different communication devices but that was a few months ago, and we haven't heard anything since, whenever I contact her she is always out!
I would have thought that he would be too young for a VOCA but again I'm not expert in this area.
he has just started with the babbling of dadadada and exploring different sounds, so I'm really hoping that talking will emerge eventually.

[BlueArmyGirl]

Perhaps an ICT assesment would be useful, especially if it's likely to be a long term need. Some areas have SALTs that are appropriately trained to do and advise re: high tech equipment others don't. Ace Centre North (depending on where you are in the country) do full ICT assessments and I think you are able to try out pieces of equipment before deciding what is most suitable. There was funding for a project they ran a few years ago but I think the responsibility for identifying and completing assessments has now been passed on the LAs.

However, PECS is always useful to have as a low tech back up system, the problem is (depending on level of physical control) it's cumbersome if ds has great vocab and could use complex language and if physical control is limited may not be able to use it as independently as some other systems.

[Chundle]

Also we have symbols in the book for her to give to us when she wants something. Then separate symbols in an envelope that are used for us to tell her things I.e. Stop, home, bath etc. If you want to se a pic of the book I've dine then pm me and I'll email you a photo of it x

[lisad123]

I cheated and brought loads from Ebay, saved me hours with laminater and also got something called icomm on my iphone to take photos and use as on the move pecs.

[JackTheNipper]

thats great have a lot of ideas I'll pm you chundle if thats ok?

[JackTheNipper]

thats a good idea lisa I'll try and get that app

[banana87]

Start with actual pictures rather than symbols.

[Annawiththebag]

I would agree with banana87, start with photographs of the real object. You could also try putting the symbol on the outside of containers to indicate what's inside. This should work quite well with toys e.g. car photo on car box, lego photo for box of lego.

Many good early years settings do this and it may help prime your child for this system. I have seen regular sized photographs of the object with a smaller line drawing image stuck to the bottom right hand corner so child may come to realise that the line drawing also represents the object.

Hope this helps.