DS’ first sentence!

[SinkGirl]

This happened today - my twins are non verbal and have been using PECS cards to exchange for an item for ages. Last year I had a big court battle to get them into the right specialist school and now they are doing so well.

DT1 has just started making sentences - first it was “I want X” and today he surprised me with “mummy I want biscuit please”. I could honestly cry.

He will be getting a tablet with special software soon so it can talk for him but I expected him to just be able to make one word requests - now it seems i might hear actual sentences!

I know it’s not the typical first sentence but it’s so hard for him to learn and I’m so happy!

Oh my heart. 💕 what a special moment. Thank you for sharing. He definitely deserves lots of biscuits. Digestives are the best.

Amazing. You must be such a proud mummy.

This is brilliant.

This is the twin from a previous thread where he started spelling words isn’t it. Sounds like he’s coming on in leaps and bounds.

Thank you so much for sharing this OP!

Well done DT1! And I’m very impressed by DT2’s resourcefulness with the raisin/bubble cards. Very logical!

That's lovely! I wonder how long it will be for you to be fed up of "Muuuum I want a biscuit," though! No just kidding that is great!

Amazing, you must be so proud!

[quote CatherineCawood]@SusannahSophia thats great to hear. So many people are under the impression that PECS will stop any speech developing! Good luck with the job search. Does your local SENDIASS help out young adults who are job seeking?

There is also a new scheme called Kickstart for employers to take on people aged 16 to 25 for 6 months. The govt are paying the wages so it costs the company nothing. It gives them experience and the possibility of a permanent job after the 6 monhs is up. Its run through the job centre. Might be worth a google?[/quote]
@CatherineCawood He has a disability job coach, but let this be a lesson not to put any savings in their name as he's not eligible for UC which means he's not eligible for Kickstart.

@SinkGirl I never looked ahead beyond the next milestone or battle. I think it's a good policy, tbh. Never compare, if you can help it, either. Though with twins that is impossible!

That's amazing!

@SusannahSophia oh no, that just seems so incredibly unfair. Obviously those with mega savings shouldn't be able to access UC but this is a kind of different situation. I hope he finds something soon.

It was a few years of DLA payments when I was doing OK financially! Oh well.

@RafaIsTheKingOfClay

This is brilliant.

This is the twin from a previous thread where he started spelling words isn’t it. Sounds like he’s coming on in leaps and bounds.

Yes that’s him! He’s doing so well with his spelling (helped by some suggestions from other posters on things I could use, but I’m going to design my own cards for him - obviously most things assume a curve of development for children learning speak, to read, then to write and obviously he’s not doing things in order!).

@SusannahSophia that is really shocking. I can’t believe that - how can having savings mean he doesn’t qualify for accessible employment. That seems like a false economy to me but I will now be careful not to put any savings in their name!

Kickstart is aimed at any young person looking for work who is currently on UC. From the government's point of view it's to get them off UC. DS2 slips through the net, sadly. He's paying me monthly 'rent' and slowly whittling his savings down.

Some DC with ASD can be hyperlexic, sort of the opposite of dyslexic where their reading skills are in advance of their understanding, because they really get the patterns of letters. If that's what is helping your DT, it's an excellent aid to learning. He's a little star!

Yes we definitely think he’s hyperlexic although not to the extent of some kids who are insanely advanced - I have met a three year old who’s fluently reading and writing and insanely good at complex maths too. He’s 3! Completely nonverbal too.

The government might want to think a bit harder about that - otherwise when his savings are gone he’s more likely to be reliant on UC than if he can access employment! But then logic isn’t their forte! Perhaps your son needs a very expensive piece of equipment? 🤦‍♀️

A bit short sighted, it's true. But the government are looking at the bigger picture, not how the policy affects individuals.

Wonderful post for a Friday afternoon. Delighted for you both. X

@SusannahSophia

A bit short sighted, it's true. But the government are looking at the bigger picture, not how the policy affects individuals.

You’d just think they might have an exemptions policy in place for those who have disabilities / in receipt of disability benefits since unemployment is so high in this group - you would think two birds with one stone!

That's lovely OP.

My eldest 6 is autistic and had very delayed speech and I remember feeling similarly emotional when she first managed to talk and communicate with me finally.

This is lovely, what a huge accomplishment.

My Ds2 has classic autism too, and didn’t make any sounds until he was gone 4yo. He is now 9yo. We used PECS too, which he absolutely loved - a mix of the drawings you have and real life photographs (so in your son’s example, the mummy would be a photo of me and the e biscuit would be a photo of a M&S cookie). The letter sounds followed, and he has all of his letter sounds now, though little of his speech is entirely self generated, he mostly echoes what he has heard.

let this be a lesson not to put any savings in their name as he's not eligible for UC which means he's not eligible for Kickstart

Like SusannahSophia I learned a hard lesson.

Don't let grandparents build up Premium Bond savings for them over their childhood years because that also disqualifies them from claiming anything that's means-tested or 'tied on to' means-tested benefits.

If those savings are spent, apparently it's seen as deprivation of assets.

Very good idea to get your DS to pay you 'rent' to reduce the lump sum gradually.

There is a way to 'ring-fence' a child's savings, but you have to declare them unable to manage their own affairs, which may be subject to an IQ test. I went to a Mencap presentation about Wills and Trusts and future provision for disabled dependents a few years ago and decided I didn't think it was suitable for DD, but it's worth exploring as what's not good for us could be just the thing someone else is looking for.

Anyway, let's not bring this lovely thread to a halt with such practical things, there's too much to celebrate !

That's lovely. Thank you for sharing!

@WellTidy

This is lovely, what a huge accomplishment.

My Ds2 has classic autism too, and didn’t make any sounds until he was gone 4yo. He is now 9yo. We used PECS too, which he absolutely loved - a mix of the drawings you have and real life photographs (so in your son’s example, the mummy would be a photo of me and the e biscuit would be a photo of a M&S cookie). The letter sounds followed, and he has all of his letter sounds now, though little of his speech is entirely self generated, he mostly echoes what he has heard.

Yes that’s how ours are too (the mummy is a picture of me, I just covered it) - they used to be all photos but the school started using symbols instead so they can use both.

I have friends whose children only speak in echolalia - they’ve found it really hard to access help because they have some speech and people don’t realise how much of it is just learned phrases.

My DS’s speech started off as echolalia mostly. It’s still hard to get him to hold a conversation and he’ll try to lapse back into his comfort zone phrases as soon as he can, but that’s just one of his quirks, now.

So lovely, thanks for sharing