Xbox Live therapy for apraxia!! Go for it!!!

[Guest guest]

When Tanner was interviewed by Bilker he talked about Xbox

Live. http://www.debtsmart.net/talk/tanner.html

I have to tell you that Xbox Live should be something everyone with

an apraxic child should consider! Last night Dakota wasn't home

because he was at a sleepover and typically if Tanner doesn't have a

friend over he gets bored without his brother. We came in from the

movies last night and Tanner went upstairs and I heard him laughing

and talking. He was nonstop talking on Xbox live to some of the

friends he's made (they choose who to put on the friends list) and he

was working with others on a team just as if he had a group of

friends over. Of course my first concern when we got this is

security and it still is. But just like everything we weigh the pros

and cons -and this is a big old PRO! While I am concerned with

health, safety -I'm also concerned about my son's ability to make and

keep friends -to appear " normal " which is why I've always encouraged

him with video games. The live just takes it to the next step where

he can excel at something -and make friends.

None of the children are supposed to give out their real names or any

personal information -and my boys know that if anyone asks who they

are they are to turn the game off and you are to report anything

suspicious -or even if any child gets mean. As of yet we have not

had to report anything. Sometimes the kids do fight a bit -but

Tanner knows how to stand up for himself and fight back -but they

still stay friends. Right now there are 36 " friends " which includes

some of their neighbors and friends from school -but some from other

parts of the country or different countries.

Main thing is that I for sure see Xbox Live as a way to get apraxic

children to expand their vocabularies and to get them out of their

shell to talk in longer utterances. It's safe because nobody knows

who anyone is. It's working! I spoke to Tanner this morning about

it while we were out jogging and even he believes this has helped him

with his speech. We've had it since Xmas -so perhaps this is one of

the reasons he's made such

Of course Tanner has already let the cat out of the bag that we let

him play games like Halo 3 when he talked to (which I know some

people would look at that as a bad thing -but all his friends at

school play it so it's a social thing) -but I noticed many games that

are E rated that look appropriate for young children -and many are

family games!

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/LIVE/ Viva Piñata looks really cute!

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/v/vivapinatapartyanimals/

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