[POSSIBLE SPAM] Re: Zoe...RDI with non verbal kids

[Guest guest]

Thanks Anita for that very interesing, frank response. It really

helps to get everyones feed back on all their kids as all our kids

are so unique.

Take care

Helen x

> >

> > Hi Helen

> >

> > I can only endorse what Sara said - yes, definitely, in fact its

a

> > lot easier with non-verbal children.

>

> I know that Gutstein makes this statement too, but I'd like to add

my

> bit. My son is nonverbal and we are doing RDI. Mind, we're only a

> four months into it, but I would find it really difficult to

believe

> that non-verbalness makes RDI easier. I think it's something else.

>

> My son has very few interests, cannot tell us anything he wants,

how

> he feels, what he thinks. This is in part what makes it very

> difficult for us to engage him in any activity. So, many of the

> things that other people can do with their kids to practice guided

> participation and to work on whatever objective they have just

don't

> happen for us (yet) because ds is so much in his own world--partly

a

> result of the lack of language. Anytime a verbal child is actually

> speaking to someone, he/she is at least reaching out. A nonverbal

> child who does no reaching out isn't easy to RDI with, IME. So, I

> think there is something else underlying what might make RDI easier

> or not.

>

> As difficult as it is putting things into practice, like Zoe and I

> suspect all the other moms pursuing this, the theory of RDI makes

> perfect sense to me and I will not stop. I don't believe that RDI

> will give my son verbal language; however, I do believe it will

> eventually allow him to communicate with us. So, to the original

> question (I think this was it), will RDI help a nonverbal child.

> IMO, most definitely yes. Here, we are seeing little glimmers of

> improvement already and I think RDI will help ALL ASD children, but

> it may not help in the sense that the child will acquire language.

I

> think, too, where a verbal child will have an advantage is, once

> you're far enough through the stages, an already verbal child will

be

> able to use the language he/she has appropriately.

>

> One last thought--it really is a huge relief in some ways to NOT

> focus on language because of the RDI program. Having a nonverbal

> child can make you obsessive about getting the language. In the

> past, I have moved in and out of this obsessiveness. However, now

> having started RDI I no longer give spoken language such emphasis.

> Or signing such emphasis. So, in that way things are a lot easier

> for me although I think that things are still very hard for my son

in

> that his lack of ability to communicate locks him in. Hopefully

not

> for very much longer :-)

>

> Anita

>