[my3peanuts]

I have a few questions for those that have used communication devices

What age was your child when they started using one?
Were they cognitively delayed?
What reasons did you have for using one?
What brand/model did you use?
Did you find it helpful or not?

TIA!!

 

[irangel]

I'm so glad you posted this. I will be watching. My 3yr old is largely non-verbal. We've had several therapists mention how she would be a perfect candidate for a communication device because cognitively she's age appropriate she just can't talk. They've always implied we wouldn't use a device until she was close to school aged but I have no idea when others have started using one.

 

[Kathryn]

We started training Lily on switches when she was around 9 months old. The earlier the better, imo.

Emily, you should totally read this book called Schuyler's Monster. It goes into having a non-verbal child, who is cognitivly 'normal', and getting them to 'talk' with communication devices. I found it very interesting and a great read for someone with a non-verbal child.

 

[Kathryn]

oh, sorry.

What age was your child when they started using one? - About 9 months
Were they cognitively delayed? - Yes
What reasons did you have for using one? - Lily is unable to talk, sign, move well, etc.. so we needed some way to talk to us
What brand/model did you use? - Various. We haven't graduated to a big brand yet.
Did you find it helpful or not? - Very. She loves it and can make choices.

 

[bender]

In my student teaching experience, another SLP had a kiddo who was about 3 with a fanny pack communication device. I think it was a Hip Talk, but I don't remember.
Here's a link with something that looks like what she was using:
http://enablingdevices.com/catalog/a...on/hip-talkers

 

[2boyzmama]

lurking lurking lurking

Connor is still non verbal (can say "mama" and "ball", but that is it). He does at least have sign language, which he uses very well and we're continuing to teach to him, but as he approaches age 3 and the transition to school, we have to decide whether to put him in a verbal school with an interpreter, or a deaf school with heavy speech therapy (he is not deaf). Decisions decisions...

 

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

VeeGee's is coming TODAY!!!!!!!!

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What age was your child when they started using one? 34 months
Were they cognitively delayed? yes, though not very - basically, we're not sure.
What reasons did you have for using one? severe apraxia
What brand/model did you use? shoot, I can't remember. It's green.

Did you find it helpful or not? I'll let you know.

VeeGee's STs think that it's really going to help her with the motor planning component of her apraxia by slowing her down enough to find the button, during which time she will also be able to be forming the word orally. Also, it will reduce some frustration, they think. Her ST's expectation is that we won't have to use it for very long because she thinks that VeeGee will have a big vocabulary expansion with it. We'll see - she's having major surgery in a couple of weeks on her throat, so I'm actually expecting some regression before it gets better.

Anyhow, I'll keep y'all posted!

 

[PikkuMyy]

I will answer this about one of my students

What age was your child when they started using one?

He was 3 when they started using some of the simple talking devices at school, and 5 when they sent one home. (We were already using extensive PECS at this point.)

Were they cognitively delayed?

Yes, he has autism, and possibly mild MR.

What reasons did you have for using one?

He went from being somewhat verbal to having an expressive language regression. Still very high receptive language skills but almost no verbal.

What brand/model did you use? At school, they started with the Go Talk 4, and at home we had the Go Talk with space for 9 pictures. After he did really well with these, we had an AAC evaluation, at which point, they gave him a Dynavox, which is extremely customizable. You can have anywhere from 1-64 pictures on the screen, with multiple overlays and categories.

Did you find it helpful or not?

Yes, very helpful. Remember that in the beginning you'll need to teach the child how to use the device, and while you want to use pictures/photographs that are already familiar, you may end up with a device that has its own set (not good, IMO, but sometimes you get what you get) and then you have to teach those pictures.

Start with a small field of items and add them as the child shows accuracy with his/her choices and comments.

Try to use a recorded voice that's similar to your child's voice. If it's a recordable device like the Go Talk, get a peer to say the items if possible.

 

[Literate]

Speaking of Schuyler's Monster, check out his blog. Great videos of S using her device. I quoted him in my blog today because he really had some good stuff this week.

What age was your child when they started using one? almost 4
Were they cognitively delayed? no
What reasons did you have for using one? severe apraxia
What brand/model did you use? POS. I mean, Dynovox. It's 10 years old or something ridiculous like that.
Did you find it helpful or not? somewhat. we are currrently trying out more current models.

 

[PikkuMyy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Literate Did you find it helpful or not? somewhat. we are currrently trying out more current models.

Agreed. The newer models are vastly different from the older ones. Much easier to program, include both Boardmaker symbols and you can load photos on too.

 

[momtoalexsarah]

Megan will most likely need one when she go to JK in sept 2010, she is now actually geting to be a little more verbal but is very very difficult to understand. When they don't count articulation she is talking at a 30m level (she is 36m) but with the articulation error and learn conpensetory errors it is still at a 12-18m level for what the average person could understand - at best. We had high hopes for resonable speec by JK but they are having to remove her top 4 teeth at some point soon so that will set her back likely quite significantly.
Thankfully the school board has some systems already that we will be able to try out it will be interesting to see as we get closer to school.

 

[jackson's mama]

What age was your child when they started using one? Mid-tech devices at age 2, high tech device at age 3.5
Were they cognitively delayed? No
What reasons did you have for using one? Completely non-verbal
What brand/model did you use? We started with a Little Mack and still use it a ton (graduated to a Step-by-Step with levels, we have about 4 of them). He also has a Dynavox DV4.
Did you find it helpful or not? Incredibly so. Mode of access is a major issue for us because Jackson has very little functional movement, so finding the best way for him to activate the device has been difficult. We're moving forward with getting him a device that uses eye gaze, and I think it will be fantastic for him. But even the Step-by-Steps have been so wonderful in giving him a voice.

In terms of how early to start, I look at it this way: if your child is unable to express age-appropriate desires/ideas/feelings and would be able to with the help of augmentative communication, then you should start the process. It's never too early.

 

[2bluefish]

How do you start the process? Is this something you request from a specific therapist? Or did you look into it on your own? I know our ST mentioned it, but she hasn't addressed it specifically yet.

 

[luv-my-boys]

What age was your child when they started using one?
Ds was about 1 1/2 yr old

Were they cognitively delayed? No
What reasons did you have for using one? Hearing impaired/deafness. We used it until he was able to sign more readily
What brand/model did you use? we used the PECS system. We intially got the items thru EIS (early intervention) but then I went online and found wonderful real life PEC programs and was able to make my own with our digital camera. Its a *low tech* way but it really helped DS until he was able to sign and eventually communicate. It really helped with his and our frustration greatly because we had a easier way to communicate other than just sign.
Did you find it helpful or not? YES!!!

 

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2bluefish How do you start the process? Is this something you request from a specific therapist? Or did you look into it on your own? I know our ST mentioned it, but she hasn't addressed it specifically yet.

Our ST initiated it. She then contacted an area rep for the company which provides them and then did a aug-com evaluation (which was separate from her regular eval.) to submit to our insurance company (who paid!!!!!). VeeGee's is a Vantage Lite. We got it on Tuesday and she was really really excited about it. It seemed to provide some really positive feedback for her, just as we had anticipated. I packed it up, though, until we have therapy again on Wednesday and/or until I've had time to look through all the information that came with it (a BUNCH!).

 

[jackson's mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2bluefish How do you start the process? Is this something you request from a specific therapist? Or did you look into it on your own? I know our ST mentioned it, but she hasn't addressed it specifically yet.

Depending on your child's age, you can request an AAC evaluation either through EI or your school district. There are also some private facilities that can bill through insurance, or can contract with EI/school districts that don't have their own AAC specialist in-house. Most devices are funded by medical insurance, but often the school district will pay for the evaluation.

Many ST's are familiar with low- and mid-tech AAC, but most don't have nearly the training and experience needed to do a thorough evaluation. You really need to see an AAC specialist if you're looking to get a communication device. There are just so many different variables to look at and so many different devices on the market, and having someone with lots of experience in the field is key.

One other piece of advice is make sure you trial a device before moving forward with funding it - something that seems like it might be perfect for your child might not work out at all, and you don't want to be stuck with a very expensive but useless piece of equipment!

 

[Literate]

Wendy, talk to me about the difference between what you have and a Springboard Lite. Why did you pick the Vantage Lite?

Our school is currently renting/borrowing devices for us to try out! She had the Springboard now but we get a Tango (!) next, then the new Dynavox. I'm really impressed with the system right now, I have to say. We get to try things without committing? A far cry from last year's "Here's your crappy 10 year old Dynavox."

 

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Literate Wendy, talk to me about the difference between what you have and a Springboard Lite. Why did you pick the Vantage Lite?

I actually don't know a thing about it. It's what the ST recommended and what they tested VeeGee on and, then, what insurance paid for.

Sorry.

 

[2boyzmama]

I've been thinking a lot about this lately...so I finally got into research mode today and really looked into AACs. Wow!!! Why hasn't this been suggested for Connor before now????? So I called up his ASL teacher and talked to her about it, she said that initially we were unsure how serious his hearing loss was, which is true, and his receptive communication was profoundly delayed, which is also true, and then that he's responded to well to ASL, it's just never occured to her to mention AACs to us. But as she and I talked about them and looked at some webpages together, we're both in the mind set that this is definitely something we should be introducing to him ALONG WITH ASL, so he'll have both to use. At least in a class room setting.

So she and I are setting up an appt with one of his speech therapists as well as the school psychologist at the school he'll likely attend next year to see what they think. After just a few hours of researching this I'm already getting excited about it! ASL has been absolutely wondeful for Connor, and I wouldn't give it up, but this way he won't need a full-time interpreter, so I can see this as a huge advantage!!

So keep the links coming...

 

[AuntLavender]

When my son was 3 I bought him a Go Talk 4+ ($169.00). It's great for requesting. The limitations are it only has 6 spaces for images. I also had a single Go Talk ($12.00). We used it for saying "Trick or Treat" for example on Halloween.

Then a generous mama gave me a Seven Level Communication Builder. This let's us do anywhere from 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 images. Again it's great for requesting or playing games but you have to design the boards and you have to record the sounds. We still use this.

I borrowed a Dynavox V through FAAST for free for 3 weeks last year to try it out on my own. You really need someone to help you learn to use it so you can help your child. The manual was 4 inches thick!!

I found out my local university does AAC Clinics. I wanted to go last Oct 2008 but missed the deadline. I got in last month! Well my son did. They did 4 two hour sessions at the university and one 90 minute session at my house. The first two tested my son to see how he speaks, what he understands. The rest were trying out different devices. I am due to get the written report next month. It cost me $150.00.

I like the Tango for the built in camera! No more talking digital photos on my camera, saving them on my laptop, opening Boardmaker to make a board using the photo! Wheew!

My son was ablt to use it intuitively. The graduate students barely had to show him how to scroll and find things. It also has a boy's voice on it. My son isn't bothered by my voice or his older brother's voice recorded onto the devices we have. I just think it's a nice touch.

My son's IQ as tested by my local public school system is 104. He's developmentally delayed. Emotionally he acts half his age (5yrs 10mos) but he knows how to click and drag on the laptop and he knows his letters and can read and spell a few words.

The electronic devices seem better able to have a conversation whereas the ones you have to put in the images and records the words seem better for requesting.

My son has Apraxia, Dysarthria, and Hypotonia in his tongue (and arms and legs). He's been in ST for 3 years 3 1/2 mos but he's still hard to understand. He can't move his tongue upward. He cannot lick his upper lip.

I hope to get my insurer to help pay for it. I have BCBS.
My school system is extremely cash strapped. Other than the evaluation for Pre-K Disability class they cannot offer much.
Sincerely,
Debra, homeschooling mom of 4 ages 12, 11, 9, and 5