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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 165917" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>Dara, take note of the sort of things he is fluent with, and the sort of things where you get the more random assortment of phonemes. I'm betting his is fluent with fairly standard sentences that can be used regularly (or modified slightly, like a template). For example, difficult child 3 learned fairly quickly, while still at a one word stage in so many areas, to say, "please may I have..." followed by whatever he wanted. Sometimes it came out oddly especially earlier, such as when we got "Please may I have go to the beach?" He did stop that fairly quickly once he learned the right way to do it. Again, reading the special stories I wrote for him (with pictures etc) helped him a lot because he used the same phrases and sentence structure as a template.</p><p></p><p>Also take note of the sort of things he can talk about fluently, and the sort he has trouble with.</p><p></p><p>I first realised difficult child 3 had problems when I compared him to a friend's child, the same age. This little girl told me one day, "I like watching 'Mr Bean' because he is so funny. I really liked the one where he had a party and his friends came, and they left early. Then next morning one friend reached in to get his hat just as the paint can exploded and it left a pattern on the wall. That was really funny, I liked that."</p><p>Meanwhile difficult child 3 was still saying, "Please may I have go to shops?" and could not answer a question about how his day at pre-school was.</p><p>Now he is 14, difficult child 3 can tell a story that he knows by relating a sequence of events. He can put a story in sequence (one of the tests in a psychometric assessment and also speech pathology assessment is to see how well they can sequence a series of images). He can also make up a story, utter fiction, and has done well in this area (much better than difficult child 1 could). Sometimes he uses a story line or character from something else, such as "One day Yoshi and Princess Daisy were walking in the park when they saw a big dog." and so on. easy child kids go through a phase of doing this, often using their friends' names in their story-writing. But difficult child 3 is now much more able to make things up - naming pets, for example. In the past he named his pets after favourite cartoon characters or game characters. However,our recent budgie is called "Lucky". I don't think that's a character in anything.</p><p></p><p>We did have early intervention for difficult child 3 but only one morning a week which was woefully inadequate. I think it was more disruptive for him than anything else. Other than that, difficult child 3 attended a mainstream pre-school and mainstream school with normal program. He had an aide for about half the time. We used a communication book between home and school which helped a great deal. And again - we used the computer a lot to teach him. He had big learning gaps at school which we didn't realise were as bad as they were, until he began to spend a lot of time home due to being sick so much (due to anxiety).</p><p></p><p>Basically, we found what worked for him and used it as much as we could. Games, lessons, tutoring - mostly games, though. Museums, galleries, DVDs, educational TV shows. I remember reading years ago that Downs Syndrome kids do better in a stimulating environment. We surrounded difficult child 3 with the sort of stimulation he seemed to be seeking, and then linked it back to what he needed to learn, as much as we could. We ignored age-appropriate. For example, difficult child 3 was having trouble conversing at an age-appropriate level but there was no point pushing harder when his brain just wasn't ready. Meanwhile he WAS learning algebra, so we let him. Currently he's (of his own volition) studying senior high school poetry, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry, all at senior level. Sometimes it's beyond him but he chooses to do it. When the TV lessons come round again, he picks up a bit more each time.</p><p></p><p>We were told to not let difficult child 3 study another language until he had mastered English. We finally let him learn German two years ago. He isn't studying it this year but is still sometimes practising it in his own time. I speak a little German and a little French, so I can talk with him when he wants to. </p><p></p><p>It's all part of keeping that massive intellect stimulated and constantly improving. It sounds like Sammy does have a lot in common here. We also must remember - when these kids do well, it is often very much due to their own impressive abilities and their intense desire to be as normal as possible. Sammy's story-telling (with random words) sounds to me like a desperate attempt to do what others are doing. I remember as avery small child, making up my own songs and singing them. I was putting random notes and random words together to make a sound that I liked. I was very unselfconscious about it but when people began to notice and make comment, I got shy about it and soon forgot how I had done it. I began to use music in "more appropriate" ways, but they were less creative, to my very young mind and I regretted what I had lost. It was before I ever went to school so I had to be under 4 years old at the time.</p><p></p><p>When he tells you 'a story' listen to him and thank him for such an entertaining story. This is encouraging fluency, even if it's random. It's also boosting his confidence to try even more and hopefully soon he will string known words together for a longer fiction.</p><p></p><p>Also ask him to tell you a procedure that you know he knows. For example - what is the procedure for starting the computer? I could ask difficult child 3 - what is the procedure for making noodles? Or ask him to tell you about a happy adventure you shared, perhaps a holiday or trip to the shops. It is interesting to hear what they consider of value.</p><p>difficult child 3 wrote (for school) the story of his trip to "The Summit", a highly regarded Sydney restaurant - it's revolving, it overlooks Sydney Harbour and we went there for difficult child 1's 21st birthday. It was a very important day and we all had a really great time. In difficult child 3's story, he emphasised that the restaurant was on the 47th floor. The trip in the elevator was of paramount enjoyment for him because he could watch the numbers changing really fast on the indicator board. The impressive views as the restaurant rotates once every 90 minutes - not important to difficult child 3. He would go stand by the elevator to watch as people came and went. He got at least as much fun out of that as other people were getting out of the view, so we didn't feel the trip was wasted on him.</p><p></p><p>Give Sammy what he wants intellectually, encourage him, stimulate him and help him learn as much as you can. Love him and help him learn what love is. Talk to him, listen to him. Involve him. And watch him - what he chooses will be signposts to where to go with him next.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 165917, member: 1991"] Dara, take note of the sort of things he is fluent with, and the sort of things where you get the more random assortment of phonemes. I'm betting his is fluent with fairly standard sentences that can be used regularly (or modified slightly, like a template). For example, difficult child 3 learned fairly quickly, while still at a one word stage in so many areas, to say, "please may I have..." followed by whatever he wanted. Sometimes it came out oddly especially earlier, such as when we got "Please may I have go to the beach?" He did stop that fairly quickly once he learned the right way to do it. Again, reading the special stories I wrote for him (with pictures etc) helped him a lot because he used the same phrases and sentence structure as a template. Also take note of the sort of things he can talk about fluently, and the sort he has trouble with. I first realised difficult child 3 had problems when I compared him to a friend's child, the same age. This little girl told me one day, "I like watching 'Mr Bean' because he is so funny. I really liked the one where he had a party and his friends came, and they left early. Then next morning one friend reached in to get his hat just as the paint can exploded and it left a pattern on the wall. That was really funny, I liked that." Meanwhile difficult child 3 was still saying, "Please may I have go to shops?" and could not answer a question about how his day at pre-school was. Now he is 14, difficult child 3 can tell a story that he knows by relating a sequence of events. He can put a story in sequence (one of the tests in a psychometric assessment and also speech pathology assessment is to see how well they can sequence a series of images). He can also make up a story, utter fiction, and has done well in this area (much better than difficult child 1 could). Sometimes he uses a story line or character from something else, such as "One day Yoshi and Princess Daisy were walking in the park when they saw a big dog." and so on. easy child kids go through a phase of doing this, often using their friends' names in their story-writing. But difficult child 3 is now much more able to make things up - naming pets, for example. In the past he named his pets after favourite cartoon characters or game characters. However,our recent budgie is called "Lucky". I don't think that's a character in anything. We did have early intervention for difficult child 3 but only one morning a week which was woefully inadequate. I think it was more disruptive for him than anything else. Other than that, difficult child 3 attended a mainstream pre-school and mainstream school with normal program. He had an aide for about half the time. We used a communication book between home and school which helped a great deal. And again - we used the computer a lot to teach him. He had big learning gaps at school which we didn't realise were as bad as they were, until he began to spend a lot of time home due to being sick so much (due to anxiety). Basically, we found what worked for him and used it as much as we could. Games, lessons, tutoring - mostly games, though. Museums, galleries, DVDs, educational TV shows. I remember reading years ago that Downs Syndrome kids do better in a stimulating environment. We surrounded difficult child 3 with the sort of stimulation he seemed to be seeking, and then linked it back to what he needed to learn, as much as we could. We ignored age-appropriate. For example, difficult child 3 was having trouble conversing at an age-appropriate level but there was no point pushing harder when his brain just wasn't ready. Meanwhile he WAS learning algebra, so we let him. Currently he's (of his own volition) studying senior high school poetry, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry, all at senior level. Sometimes it's beyond him but he chooses to do it. When the TV lessons come round again, he picks up a bit more each time. We were told to not let difficult child 3 study another language until he had mastered English. We finally let him learn German two years ago. He isn't studying it this year but is still sometimes practising it in his own time. I speak a little German and a little French, so I can talk with him when he wants to. It's all part of keeping that massive intellect stimulated and constantly improving. It sounds like Sammy does have a lot in common here. We also must remember - when these kids do well, it is often very much due to their own impressive abilities and their intense desire to be as normal as possible. Sammy's story-telling (with random words) sounds to me like a desperate attempt to do what others are doing. I remember as avery small child, making up my own songs and singing them. I was putting random notes and random words together to make a sound that I liked. I was very unselfconscious about it but when people began to notice and make comment, I got shy about it and soon forgot how I had done it. I began to use music in "more appropriate" ways, but they were less creative, to my very young mind and I regretted what I had lost. It was before I ever went to school so I had to be under 4 years old at the time. When he tells you 'a story' listen to him and thank him for such an entertaining story. This is encouraging fluency, even if it's random. It's also boosting his confidence to try even more and hopefully soon he will string known words together for a longer fiction. Also ask him to tell you a procedure that you know he knows. For example - what is the procedure for starting the computer? I could ask difficult child 3 - what is the procedure for making noodles? Or ask him to tell you about a happy adventure you shared, perhaps a holiday or trip to the shops. It is interesting to hear what they consider of value. difficult child 3 wrote (for school) the story of his trip to "The Summit", a highly regarded Sydney restaurant - it's revolving, it overlooks Sydney Harbour and we went there for difficult child 1's 21st birthday. It was a very important day and we all had a really great time. In difficult child 3's story, he emphasised that the restaurant was on the 47th floor. The trip in the elevator was of paramount enjoyment for him because he could watch the numbers changing really fast on the indicator board. The impressive views as the restaurant rotates once every 90 minutes - not important to difficult child 3. He would go stand by the elevator to watch as people came and went. He got at least as much fun out of that as other people were getting out of the view, so we didn't feel the trip was wasted on him. Give Sammy what he wants intellectually, encourage him, stimulate him and help him learn as much as you can. Love him and help him learn what love is. Talk to him, listen to him. Involve him. And watch him - what he chooses will be signposts to where to go with him next. Marg [/QUOTE]
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