PECS help please.

[MerryCouthyMows]

I have been told by DS3's Speech Therapist that I should introduce simple PECS for 2yo DS3, for things he isn't picking up the words or Makaton signs for.

How do I go about finding the pictures? I did a little bit of PECS with DD years ago, but I drew the pictures myself.

Would you take photos and load them on the laptop abc print them out? Are there websites with specific resources and pics I could print?

I have bought a laminator, as when I did it with DD many moons ago, I didn't have one, and I was having to redraw the pictures repeatedly.

She also suggested using pictures as a prompt for my older DC's (all on the spectrum & dyspraxia) to help them organise themselves.

Like a strip of Velcro, with pictures of everything they need to do on a school morning, and when they have done the job, they put the pic in the basket.

Am I going to he taking a lot of photos?

I searched the internet for photo's of foods and games/toys that DD has and came up with loads. Be careful of dodgy looking sites though, just copy pictures and u should be alright.

Laminate a piece of card and then stick a strip of velcro on (can buy Velcro in Wilkinson for a pound or hobbycraft).

Really easy to do and then just laminate pics u want and stick relevant ones to card.

There's a site with some brilliant free ones - just google PECS printables. On iPad and cant find it, but I'll have a look at work on Monday :)

Hi, it might not be the kind of pics you need, but i've uploaded a load of photo flashcards which anyone can access, details here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/special_needs/1543549-receptive-language-or-reading-something-free-that-might-help

We took photos of all the objects we used a variation on PECS for, including, amongst others, pics of the duck pond, my mums house, my car and the outside of our house. We also had pics of her bed, the bath and toothbrush to denote bedtime.

We just found that dd responded better to actual photos rather than line drawings, however this is just ime
We got a board and attached the pics to it, the idea being that when she wanted something she could access the photo easily and bring it to us. (This was outside the formal PECS sessions)
She wasn't keen on Makaton either and it's only recently (as in last two weeks or so) that she is using the sign for "ta". She is 5 btw.

It might we worth looking at the website - Do2Learn

Also sparklebox

And mrsriley.com is a pay website that lets you make cards - its not that expensive and saves a lot of hassle

Some local libraries have communication software eg boardmaker / communication in print - if they don't ask for it! I got our library to buy it.

We always use photos of the item, if we don't have a standard symbol for it. And even if we have a symbol, photos often work better. The symbol for school is generic but a photo of our school is not. And food often looks different - I'd use pictures of what they are familiar with. (Am speaking as a ASD teacher not a parent though)

Merry, has your s/lt not helped you with this?
I'm an s/lt and would not expect a parent to just go away and sort all of this out themselves. Take charge after being shown the ropes, yes, but not to start it off.

Lol. We have two PT job share children's SALT's, and one is going on maternity leave. With no cover.

To cover an enormous area of the SE that is VERY densely populated.

The fact that I saw them at all is a miracle - DS2 was referred when he was 18mo, and didn't get seen until he was 4y10m!

DS3's last review appointment, all I got given was more sheets of Makaton signs (that DIDN'T include the specific ones I had asked for, as I asked for animal ones, as animals engage DS3 - who is being assessed for Autism in May), and told to start PECS for the things he hasn't got to grips with the signs for.

Everything online seems to be that you have to chuffing pay for it. I don't YET get DLA for DS3, but am phoning for the application form tomorrow.

Had to wait for a decision on mine first, in case I had to appeal - I wouldn't have coped with the stress of simultaneous applications.

And I think photos would work better for him.

I need an SD card on Tuesday, so I can start taking the photos. Hopefully MY DLA back pay will be there by then!

Oh - I'll finally lose the Christmas name today, as my lappy is up and running again. So next time I post, I'll be back to plain old CouthyMow.

In going to look at the something special bits - can't do that on my iPhone.

I took photos of objects that he is familiar with Ribena, Chocolate cake, DVD, Nutella, toast, raisins - I think you can see his motivations here! And I laminated and put them on a Velcro strip across the fridge. I figured that if it was accessible he would be using them to get what he wanted. We used Raisins to start with, but you need another person (if you can remember when you did it before) to help guide the hand over hand. Bubbles are also good. Something that motivates and gets an immediate response.

When I worked in a special school with a class of children on Phase 3-4(ish) we used photos. We laminated them because they get wrecked otherwise. We started a highly motivating photo and a white square/something they're not interested in. (This is Phase 3)
You can find helpful videos on Youtube. is good, if a little old school.