Talking TO Her IPad

Today's gift is talking to her iPad.

Yes, you read that correctly.  My daughter was talking TO her iPad today!

Probably one of my favorite features on any ACC (augmentative communication device) device is the voice output.  Whenever you hit a button, the button pressed is spoken back to you.  The button acts as your voice.

I honestly feel my daughter loves this part too!  It talks for her.

Along with the iPODD (which she is still learning) she also still loves her iPad.  She uses it more for watching movies, listening to music and playing games than speaking....but she does still visit her communication software on it to talk fairly often too.

Sometimes when you hit a button there is a little delay in the voice output.  Especially when you are trying to get the device to speak the word accurately for you....like when you have made changes or added a button.

This afternoon my daughter and I were sitting on the back porch.  It was GORGEOUS outside and we were taking in the incredible weather like it was candy!  She was listening to music on her iPad and then she was "talking" with her software.

She was on the page with all her school teachers and she was hitting their buttons.    These buttons are some of the buttons where the voice output is on a little delay.  As she was pushing the button, it would say "Mrs".....and then there would be a brief pause before it would say the last name of the teacher.  She kept hitting the same two teachers  over and over again....and they both happen to be her speech therapists at school.  One she calls by her last name "B" and the other one she calls by her first name "T".

So this is what happened....my daughter would hit one of their buttons....the voice output would say "Mrs" and in the delay portion she would say "B" or "T" for which ever one it was....and then you would hear the iPad say their last name!  She did this over and over again.  It was so cute!  There are not many times when I have seen her TALK TO her iPad like this before....if ever!

I think she misses seeing them and she was letting me know it.  We are very blessed to have B and T on her school team....they truly believe in my daughter....and she knows this!

Here is a quote for today....

You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream-  C.S. Lewis



© copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
365 Days Gift

Hiccup

Today's gift is hiccup.

This afternoon I had an appointment and while I was out my mom helped me by giving my daughter her evening bath.  Thanks Mom!

Sometimes my daughter lets you dry her hair and sometimes she does not.  When I got home her hair was still wet so after my mom left I decided to bring the hairdryer downstairs to see if she would let me dry it while she watched tv on the sofa.

Instead of watching tv, she wanted to play on her iPad....did I mention she was really into her iPad lately!?!  So I started blow drying her hair...which by the way makes the morning routine of "doing hair" so much easier if it is dried after her bath.  While I was drying her hair she kept saying "up" over and over again.  Then she would start laughing.  I thought she was telling me she was over me drying her hair and she wanted to get "up".  Silly me!

I finally looked down on her iPad to see what was so funny and I was amazed!  She was saying "up" appropriately and for a reason!!!  She was on her feelings app and she kept touching the hiccup button and little character would "hiccup"....which would make her laugh and her say "up"!!!!

Since the hairdryer was on I could not hear the iPad saying "hiccup", all I could hear was her saying "up".

I am so proud of her for communicating to me the best she could!!!!  She amazes me every day....she truly does!

Here is a quote for today...

The greatest thing you can do is surprise yourself- Steve Martin


© copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
365 Days Gift

Engaging in Something of Interest

Today's gift is engaging in something of interest.

After school my daughter asks for a snack the minute we walk in the door.  Our routine starts with settling down and having a snack before we start homework.  My kids are hungry when they come home!

Once she had her snack, instead of watching tv she was really engaged in her iPad.  She was playing games, listening to music, watching Hannah Montana, switching songs, looking at pictures, etc.  She did this for over thirty minutes!!!!  I could not believe it!  Usually she will play with her iPad for about 15 minutes....but 30...wow!

She was tapping and swiping the screen like she was on a mission.  Every time I would look to make sure she wasn't trying to communicate something to me through her Touch Chat app, I saw she was on her iTunes account!  She loves her music!  She was definitely on a mission for something!

It didn't end here though!

After her bath this evening, while I was blow drying her hair she picked up her sister's iPad and was engaged once again.   She didn't want to stop!  Well, after her hair was dried, I just let her enjoy this down time where she was entertaining herself....for so long.  It was a very nice surprise to not have to be watching her....constantly.

I have seen her be engaged with her iPad and photo albums before, but not to the length and intensity she was today.  There was definitely something different about...but I can not put my finger on what it was.

Then tonight, I was getting the kids book bags ready for school tomorrow and read her news and notes from school.  I had scanned it briefly when we came home, but not all the way.  It said that she was a typing machine today!  She was typing and spelling away!  Well, that explains her pointer finger getting all the extra exercise this afternoon.

I guess something "clicked" today at school and she wanted to make sure her pointer finger didn't lose its touch.  All the times I "think" she is randomly pressing apps and randomly playing on the iPad....isn't so random.  In fact, it is her way of practicing and keeping her pointer finger active to be able to type...purposefully.  And hopefully one day...when she gets the concept of typing down fully we will be able to get more out of her little head and she can tell us more about her!

Here is a quote for today....

Doing your best is more important than being the best- Zig Ziglar

© copyright 2012 – All rights reserved
365 Days Gift

Her iPad

Today's gift is her iPad.

Just like any other 11 year old my daughter loves her iPad!  Actually, just like any child my daughter loves her iPad.

Whether it is looking at pictures of her family and friends, listening to music (One Direction, Jack Johnson, soundtrack to Soul Surfer and China McClain from Ant Farm are her favorites), watching episodes of Hannah Montana, playing games (like Cake Doodle), or using her Touch Chat software to tell us something....she loves being on her iPad.  It truly brings her so much joy.

And it is great for me too...obviously the most obvious reason is for her to communicate with us.  But it helps her be occupied so I can get dinner ready or do something else around the house.  If you read my post from the other day, you know she can be the energizer bunny.  When she wants to be engaged on her iPad she can and will be for a long time.

I also love watching her and listening to see what she finds interesting.  I love how she will pick a song and then continue to navigate her iPad to another app and then will go back into music to switch the song.  When you watch her do this....you think...apraxia...what apraxia?  How can she do this with such ease, when other tasks using her hands are difficult for her?

Tonight I needed her to be engaged with her iPad so I could get dinner rolling.  Early in the evening she was very active and I was having to ask my other two children to help out...which they always do.  Thankfully tonight she was into her iPad and I was able to get dinner made without any issues (and it was a great dinner if I might add...a keeper!)

And she did a first all by herself with her iPad!   Earlier in the evening my middle daughter was helping her FaceTime me in the kitchen on my cell phone.  They wanted to know when dinner was going to be ready.  Then about 10 minutes later they were FaceTiming me again.  I called to my middle daughter and said, I can't FaceTime, please come in here and tell me what you need.  To which she replied, "I am not FaceTiming you."  My other daughter was!!!!

I could not believe it....and I answered it immediately!  She had FaceTimed me....but I don't think she knew she had.  I was talking to her and she was looking at me....and then she got up.  I think she was a little confused too because she could hear me (as I was only in the next room over) so she probably thought she would just come see me.  Usually when we FaceTime someone they are not in the house at the time.  I would be confused too!

I love how she can use technology like an iPad just like her peers.  I love how she can be engaged with something for a period of time, to allow me to get dinner ready.  I love how tonight, when I looked into the family room, my three children looked like a "typical" family.  If you didn't know my story, would you know one of my children had special needs?  Would you be able to pick the child with Rett Syndrome out?

And since she is the "energizer bunny" you will notice shelves and tables do not have much on them...for she is also known as "swiper".  I learned many posts ago...to just not let things like that bother me anymore....it is what it is! 

(the sign on the playroom door is from my son to the dog, telling him he is not allowed in the playroom!)

I love how she amazes me....every...single....day!


Here is a quote for today....

Sometimes superhero's reside in the heart's of small children fighting big battles- Author Unknown