I think my son said to me I love you today...

[Guest guest]

Hello, Just wanted to share.... My son Evan, who will be 6 in a few days, with autism, non-verbal, started using an augmentative device - the MiniMerc about 2 weeks ago. I have it at home for now and I am working on gradually transferring a pretty extensive PECS book onto it. So it is not nearly complete, the school only used it a little bit for making food choices, so it really isn't like my son had a chance to totally learn it's structure or anything. He is just beginning to use it. He has surprised me with how quickly he was learning the shortcuts and changing the boards and I found it very encouraging that he truly enjoys using it and prefers it to gestures or pictures. But he blew me away this morning.... Toward the end of breakfast/brunch I sat hi on the kitchen table in front of me so I could give him a hug. He seemed to

enjoy this somewhat. He was this way turned toward the fruit tray on the corner buffet and so I asked him if he wanted a banana. he nodded yes. To reinforce this I also prompted him to find 'banana' on the device. So we peeled the banana together, he took a few bites...then he put it down and went to his device. He went to the top page, and pressed the 'my favorites' buttons which contain items that he tends to crave and want very quickly - we wanted these to be easily accessible when desining the set-up for the device. So anyhow, he went in there and pressed my picture (I am one of the choices under favorites), and when I responded to him, he smiled the sweetest way. I think he was trying to say he loved me. I think I need to have a button and voice output for that! Maybe I am reading into it but I think that he was expressing that he was with em and that made him feel good. I

continue to be amazed by my son's wonderful mind that I am just beginning to see. I thought I would share this as many of you may have children that do not talk. If this is the case for you, please explore obtaining a dynamic communication device for them that may just open up a way for them to express themselves with ease.