autism · general stuff

caught in the act!

Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)

Toby has always had a sweet tooth but up to now has been more of a biscuit boy than a sweetie fiend. Last week however that all changed when he discovered Colin Caterpillars. He's been leading me to the cupboard all week and it doesn't matter how many times I move them – he always seems to suss out my hiding place! On Sunday I finally decided it was time to give him a PECs card for them so that he can add to his growing vocabulary (it also reinforces the concept of communication for him and using his latest desires is a great way of building on his communication skills). So there I was setting up my photo shoot and look who found me and made off with the props!

Sweeties

Caught!

Now Toby has a proper way of asking for Colin Caterpillars and I have a cupboard full ready and waiting!

I want

40 thoughts on “caught in the act!”

  5. Those are fun, aren’t they? There is a candy shop in a town along a river that we go to once a year, one of those quaint-sells-all-sorts-of-things-I-don’t-need-but-golly-they’re-cute towns, and they have all sorts of shapes for the gummy candies, sharks, coke bottles, bears, worms, spacemen, everything . . .

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  8. I loved reading this and admiring, as always, your skill in overcoming all sorts of problems, not just of communication. Toby is so fortunate to have your brilliant support.

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  9. What an awesome idea for communication! I love it!
    Personally, I can’t get past the way the gummi worms look, but both my daughters LOVE them! There’s even a restaurant here that serves them to the kids for a kids meal dessert. They put chocolate pudding at the bottom in a cup, then add Oreo cookie crumbs at the top to look like dirt, then put the worms in the “dirt”. My kids think that’s hilarious!

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  13. We used PECs cards and sign language for my son who was late to speak. The reduction in frustration for him alone was invaluable. At one point they thought G might be autistic but while he had markers (late speech, toe walking, head banging, and other sensory issues) it turned out that he is more on the ADHD/sensory side. He’s come a LONG way, but still has a ways to go. Candy is a big motivator for G as well. His favorite gummies are the sour worms. As a sensory seeker, he LOVES intense flavors of any kind.

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  15. Wow, I knew nothing about PECs until I read this – and your earlier – post. VERY interesting. I totally admire your patience and perseverance.

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  16. How wonderful that you can use his new interest to encourage him to communicate with you! Sensible boy liking jelly snakes!!!
    Lucy xxx
    P.S. The children and I are planning on buying pet bunny and I thought of you when Mr Locket (in despair) said “Can’t you just knit one?”
    !!!!!!!!

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  22. What wonderful colours these come in! I may have to succumb. And as for the person who mentioned chocolate-covered gummy bears – where does one find them?!

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  25. I don’t blame him – I had a bag of the cola version and couldn’t put them down either. I wonder what is in them that makes them so moreish?!

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  28. I love PECS! What a life-changer it was for my son. Have you seen the new augmentative communication application that you can put on an iphone or ipod Touch? It is called Proloquo2go. You can find info about it at: http://www.proloquo2go.com/.
    We just got it and think it is fab! Now I have PECS pictures with me at all times for my son to use. It has several voices to choose from including British accents! The app. can be downloaded from iTunes. It is super easy to program and has thousands of pictures or you can use your own photos. It costs about $180 but when you consider the regular devices cost more than $5,000 it is a steal. (Sorry if you know all about this already. But, we are pretty excited about how great it is to have such a portable, versatile device. Just wanted to share.)

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  29. I love this story! I can just picture Toby. The big draw for my nephew with autism is zippers. If you visit, he goes and does and undoes all the zippers on the suitcase. The problem is he also rearranges for you. We had a bit of a panic over missing passports last trip playing “Where did Ashley put them?” LOL!

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  31. So sweet to see u make your own cards. I guess it is needed but I never thought of it.
    And I was going through my e-mails yesterday and I found one I sent u ages ago, the wierd thing was it ended “best of luck to you and you daughter!” not a word of Toby. I was shocked and I have to appologies. I don’t think u rememmber but still I’m very sorry and of course the best of luck to Toby as well.

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  32. Brilliant photos! Those pesky little hands can unearth sweets wherever you hide them! Both my 2 boys have in-built sweet and chocolate radars I’m sure. It must be something to do with children – maybe we should get in touch with a geneticist, we have surely found a new gene!

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  40. LOVE the PECS system, it is posted all over my house and constantly being upgraded or changed in some way as my son get’s older. My son didn’t learn to dress himself until he was 4 years old, I tried everything. Then one day I made a “dressing strip” for him, he dressed himself that very morning. I thought my husband dressed him, my husband thought I dressed him but he did it on his own.
    Inky hugs,
    Catherine
    http://www.mystampinggrounds.blogspot.com

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