February’s “Sammy The Bear” Contest Winner
Ava Grace Baker
Ava is 2 and a half (will be 3 in June) and has autism and sensory processing disorder. She was also at one time diagnosed with plagiocephaly and brachycephaly and had to wear a helmet from age 8 months to 13 months. She had colic and reflux so badly as an infant she would scream for hours and throw up every time she was on her stomach. That resorted in her getting a flat spot on the side of her had first, then the back of her head as we tried to round it out. She also had ear infections almost monthly until 18 months.
After she got out of the helmet, she was diagnosed as developmentally delayed due to lack of speech, and poor motor skills. She had surgery at 18 months old (got a set of tubes and a lip clip also known as a frenulectomy) and that improved her hearing and helped her mouth form more sounds. Everyone thought that would make her talk, but it didn’t. So 6 months later, just after her second birthday we got her evaluated for autism and sure enough she is autistic.
During that time, she was screaming and upset frequently because she couldn’t communicate her needs. We got her into several early intervention therapies to try and help her. Last February, she started using the PECS system to communicate. At first, it was difficult, but she proved she could do it. Once she learned PECS, it opened a whole new door for her. She showed us just how smart she was and started pointing at items in books upon request, letters, shapes, numbers, you name it. Now she uses PECS electronically and expresses love and feelings as well as her wants and needs. She will give and ask for hugs and kisses and is incredibly social. No, this isn’t the type of communication we had in mind, but we are so thankful she has found her “voice” with PECS and her iPad. Her speech therapist says she is the best PECS student in the whole building.
” PECS was developed in 1985 as a unique augmentative/alternative communication intervention package for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and related developmental disabilities. First used at the Delaware Autistic Program, PECS has received worldwide recognition for focusing on the initiation component of communication.”
“PECS does not require complex or expensive materials. It was created with families, educators, and resident care providers in mind, so is readily used in a range of settings. PECS begins by teaching an individual to give a picture of a desired item to a “communicative partner”, who immediately honors the exchange as a request. The system goes on to teach discrimination of pictures and how to put them together in sentences. In the more advanced phases, individuals are taught to answer questions and to comment. ” For more information about PECS, please go to: PECS USA.
So you see, we went from a child who screamed over stomach issues, to a child in a helmet, to a child with tubes, to a child with autism and SPD. She has been through so much in her little life that it’s amazing to see how far she has progressed.
She is a sweet, loving, beautiful child and a true blessing to all who know her!
– This article was submitted by Ava’s mom, Joni Baker .