Cognition in our children is often hard to measure or even detect...teachers,therapist and professionals will over and over again discourage you from having any hope that your children will communicate mush less UNDERSTAND...
In my Humble Opinion I say BS....perhaps that is because of my optimistic attitude but moreso because in our case with my son I KNOW...he understands. I also know that he cannot express his understanding a large part of the time. Additionally I would say that many times those who are around him often times just don't pay enough attention to what he does say to realize in his own way he is trying to have conversation.other times he tries to start conversation but people do not know how to engage with him....
I have witnessed so many situations where Dakota will be standing with a group of kids and they are all jabbering about a subject and Dakota will interject a statement that to the others they don't make the connection BUT I do...if they are talking about the month of April and he will say April 27 is on a Sunday this year.....trying to enter the conversation....I know that the 27 is when he experienced a traumatic event years ago so whenever he hears some one talk about April that is his way of working into the conversation . Now I know I cannot expect others and especially kids in his "circle" to totally get him, however it's been my experience that even the "professionals who are trained to work with Autistic individuals "are just as guilty and unprepared to engage Dakota either...
This is not a bitch session about others not recognizing the need to accommodate Dakota in conversation but more about people in general to take a minute , to stop and wonder why he said what he said or more importantly why he said it...So much of Dakotas language is extremely subtle.....so much of his life is decided for him but I really want him to be able to EXPRESS his needs wants and desires..if everyone shuts him down is it any wonder that he just gives up and won't talk???
No comments:
Post a Comment