Does PECS or similar visual aids work with your dc with AS?

[Icedcakeandflower]

Ds is 10 and has AS. He is extremely articulate except when it comes to needs and emotions. For example, he doesn't clean teeth unless you tell him to. When he does, he doesn't stop until you tell him to. If you forget to give him cutlery at mealtimes, he will sit there and not ask for any.

I've tried using picture cards in the past but he said they were dumb and ignored them. He relies on prompts from me to do stuff. I have managed to train him to do many things through sheer repetition and follow through.

He has his own workstation at school which has a board full of lovely laminated cards which he ignores. School thinks they are great!

The thing is, various profs, inc an EP who has done a report for SA, thinks he needs visual aids, and that "mum says he doesn't need them". This paints a picture of me not helping his independence skills!

My question is, should I try again, or should I just say they don't work for him?

Hi iced, I think what you need to remember is that every child with AS/ASD is different.

My Dd3 is 10 and when I introduced a visual timetable for the morning routine 2 yrs ago I thought she would never go for it, actually she loves it and uses it every school day.

I have just introduced one for getting her in the shower and it worked the first time we used it after months of rolling on the floor wailing everytime it was time to go in the shower.

Personally I think I would try it again, let him help you, we have photos of Dd3 on hers. Explain tohim that if he follows the routine he will be able to get ready for school etc independently and that it is an important skill for him to learn before he goes to secondary school.

I would only tackle one thing to start with and see if you can get him on board.

Ours has completly changed our mornings, no more nagging. All I say is "check your timetable" (on repeat of course).

Good luck(smile)

Or even

Thanks, Ineed. I'm prepared to give it another go ; sounds like you make your own? Do you do them from scratch or use a program?

just a thought, maybe it was the picture-ness of it he didnt like? is it worth making more of a written list instead of just pictures? or include both? laminate it so he can tick it off maybe??

ps pls ignore if these are silly suggestions.

i have used 'board maker' for visual prompts for ds, think you can register for a 'free trial'

I do make my own, we have tried 2 different formats.

One is strips of paper with one instruction on each strip eg, Brush your teeth/get your dinner money. The strips are then laminated and have a piece of spikey velcro on the back, then it all gets stuck on a piece of felt with an envelope stabled to the bottom. Each time a step is completed Dd3 takes it off and puts it into the envelope, when all the strips are in the envelope she is ready for school (hey presto).

The other format is all on an A4 laminated sheet, again seperate steps in sentences and each time she completes a step she marks it with a whiteboard pen. This one is new so hasnt been tested much but it seems to work so far.

You really need access to a laminator but if school are on board they might be willing to do a bit for you if you dont want to buy one.

Good luck

Sorry for typos, Dd3 is nagging me to play board games with her

Thanks everyone, you have inspired me to try again.

This may be a silly question, but do you have different sets for different tasks, eg a set to help with eating/drinking etc in the kitchen/dining room, another set in the bathrom?

If so, do you stick/hang them up or produce the various sets as befits the occasion?

We have 2 separate ones, 1 for getting ready for school and one for going in the shower.

The shower one comes out in shower days, the other one is permenantly up in the kitchen.

Could your DS see PECS as being a bit young for him? I know someone who is using an ipad which has software on which allows a pupil to communicate using Boardmaker pictures and wondered if this might seem a bit more grown up? I might be barking up the wrong tree but maybe worth thinking about.

tinkerbell I only use written steps for Dd3 but will be looking at boardmaker to maybe use at work.

Thanx

Tinkerbell, that sounds great. Will look at Boardmaker on the iPad; luckily we have one at home and he was given one at school.

Thank you, Ineed and Poltergoose.

Ds and I have just spent 30 minutes working on a card sequence for having a bath. I hadn't realised there were 15 steps to it!

Just got to make the cards neatly, laminate and prepare to try them them! He's being extremely positive . Fingers crossed we make some progress with this