Just say Yeah!

[Jamies Mommy]

Just wanted to ahare the progress I've made with Jamie.
As you all know he is non verbal but can say a few words mom,no, more and please when motivated to do so. He learned to say Bye with a prompt this summer. I've also heard him say Yeah to himself. Just this last week whenever he wanted something and I knew what it was ( like unlock the frig) I started saying to him " Do you want me to open the frig?" to which he will say more please. So now I say to him no say Yeah and he does. Its taking only one or two prompts now and occasionaly no prompt to get him to say it.

I'm hoping to get him to the point where he will be able to answer a yes or no question about anything I ask him. If I can get there I think it will open a huge door as far as communication is concerned.
Now with us starting ABA I'm going to make sure communication is our focus with them drilling him on saying words starting with his favorite foods. I remember watching the movie Miracle Mile and thats how her boys started talking

[Braindrain]

Congratulations, Jamie! Way to go!

[Isabelle]

My sincere congratulations! Playing games of questions and answers and sometimes reciting prayers or vital information and you might find him saying them back.

[peglem]

There is a form of ABA that deals with speech. I think its called Verbal Behavioral Analysis. I went to a workshop on it and it looked very good, but didn't work for Allie because she was already rebelling against the reward system. I think I have the books around here somewhere- if you want them, email me with your address and I'll send them. i spent a couple hundred bucks on them- somebody may as well get some use out of them.

[peglem]

I decided I better tell you more about the booklets. One is for methodically assessing your child's speech. The other one tells you how to interpret the results and design a program. It is designed to teach language in approximately the same progression as NT's learn it. It also has recording sheets to record progress- to move you through the program.

[LIZARD]

Originally Posted by Jamies Mommy

I'm hoping to get him to the point where he will be able to answer a yes or no question about anything I ask him. If I can get there I think it will open a huge door as far as communication is concerned.

We still have some problems with this, re Drew's ability to be accurate and honest. He can actually lie! Most of the time, though, we can gauge whether he's being truthful or not.

This is HUGE, Dani!! Congrats to you and Jamie, and keep up the awesome work!

(((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))),

LIZARD

[GinaMarie]

That is awesome Jamie!! Im so happy for you!!
GM

[NaughtyMouse]

Originally Posted by Jamies Mommy

Just wanted to ahare the progress I've made with Jamie.
As you all know he is non verbal but can say a few words mom,no, more and please when motivated to do so. He learned to say Bye with a prompt this summer. I've also heard him say Yeah to himself. Just this last week whenever he wanted something and I knew what it was ( like unlock the frig) I started saying to him " Do you want me to open the frig?" to which he will say more please. So now I say to him no say Yeah and he does. Its taking only one or two prompts now and occasionaly no prompt to get him to say it.

I'm hoping to get him to the point where he will be able to answer a yes or no question about anything I ask him. If I can get there I think it will open a huge door as far as communication is concerned.
Now with us starting ABA I'm going to make sure communication is our focus with them drilling him on saying words starting with his favorite foods. I remember watching the movie Miracle Mile and thats how her boys started talking

That does sound like progress! Good luck!

I think that when you find situations where he wants something, as you described, that's when he's highly motivated and you can accomplish the most. And the feeling of competence he gets from being able to accomplish something he really wants is the strongest positive reinforcer of all!

Just a couple of observations from my many hours of experience with ABA: I didn't like the depiction of ABA in Miracle Mile at all. I thought the ABA in that recent episode of "Supernanny" or whatever that show is called showed a much more accurate and effective use of positive reinforcement.

Besides correcting Jamie as to what he should say when he makes an error, a lack of response and simply waiting expectantly can motivate him to make more attempts and correct himself. That's one way to withdraw prompts, which as you know should always be done as quickly as you can. One thing to avoid doing (and it sounds like you are avoiding it) is to give a negative reaction to any attempt, because that will really decrease his attempts.

For instance, when my DD was a little further along, when she wanted something at the table, she would look at it and say, for instance, "cheese." And instead of telling her what she should say, I would just clap and smile and say, "That's right, sweetie! That's cheese! You're very smart!" and go back to eating (not giving her any negative response or correction) and then she would try again and say, "May I please have some cheese." And then of course, she would get the cheese as a reward, accompanied by the feeling of competence for what she had accomplished, and the feeling of connection with me that she could make me understand her.

It's great that you're able to do some real-life application of ABA at home because that really helps with generalization of his program. I know it's probably very hard for you to find the time to work with him, but every bit of time you can spend doing it helps! Sounds like you're doing great.

Good luck!

x<BO~

[Mayzoo]

Peglem--I know you don't know me well yet...but my daughter is 4.5 yrs old--I just started my first thread in this forum the other day. She speaks at a 24 mo old or less, and if you think she could benifit from the books you speak of, and you still have them--please consider whether you would send them to me if no one else wants them. I would pay you what I can for them.

Thank you for at considering this.

Mayzoo

[peglem]

Well nobody has claimed them yet, send me a private message w/ your send to info and I'll send them out as soon as I can. I don't want any payment for them- just hope they'll be useful for you.