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Developing communication
ScopeHelpline
Member Posts: 209 Courageous
Posted on behalf of London Regional Response Worker.
Hello All
I spoke to a family last week who have a 4 year old daughter who goes to mainstream school and has cerebral palsy.
Her Mum said that her daughter's communication is mostly affected - she can make sounds with meaning, understands what is said to her and can say Mum, Nan, bye and ta.
As her mum does not have access to a computer she has asked me to ask other families on the forum - what helped to develop their child's communication and how? so that she can have more meaningful communication with her daughter.
Many thanks
Hello All
I spoke to a family last week who have a 4 year old daughter who goes to mainstream school and has cerebral palsy.
Her Mum said that her daughter's communication is mostly affected - she can make sounds with meaning, understands what is said to her and can say Mum, Nan, bye and ta.
As her mum does not have access to a computer she has asked me to ask other families on the forum - what helped to develop their child's communication and how? so that she can have more meaningful communication with her daughter.
Many thanks
Replies
I don't have much information on this, but found that picture boards work quite well. I worked in a special school and supported a boy who had no verbal communication at all (also 4 years old), but I managed to understand him using these. The teacher basically made him a book, which had pictures of simple things such as colours, toys and numbers, for learning purposes, and symbols for things such as 'hungry', 'thirsty', 'tired'...
I know it seems basic, but you wouldn't believe what a difference such a little thing made, as he was able to express what he wanted and how he felt. On a more complex level, how about trying Makaton? From what I've seen, that can make a whole world of difference, and I think courses can be found online, or relatively cheap in adult learning centres, deaf centres and even hospitals.
Hope that helps!
Look here for a good new introduction to AAC (alternative and augmentative communication) you can either download or request a hard copy.
http://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/~/media/Communication Trust/Documents/Other Ways of Speaking FINAL.ashx