Thursday, July 15, 2010

Lamination progress huzzah!

So, I've gone a little silly with the laminator.
Weeeell, maybe not so silly.
I've printed up the step-by-step way of having a shower.
Yes, I even reminded him to grab a towel!
Then the step-by-step order to start his day with breakfast, starting with the first step of "No Coke!!!!"
He's a bit of a fiend for that, self-medicating with the caffeine for his ADHD plus once he does something it gets cast in concrete that he Must.Do.It.The.Exact.Same.Way.Every.Time.
Has to have a glass of fizzy lolly water (coke, Fanta, Sarsaparilla, Root Beer, Dr Pepper, lemonade, etc) right before Every.Single.evening meal.
Sometimes he'll have just finished drinking water or juice but the OCD kicks in and he almost turns magenta arguing for his precious glass of fizzy soft drink.
I digress.
I've printed up small business card-sized prompts for him to tuck into his wallet; one states that he has Asperger's, Tourette's, ADHD, OCD and anxiety, asking the person to be patient with him, with an autism ribbon to underscore the message.
Another is a prompt card for when he has a panic/anxiety attack, with suggestions of focusing on Pokemon, Doctor Who, etc, taking deep breaths, that kind of thing.
Another is a prompt card for beginning a conversation with a new acquaintance, how to share the conversation with the other person rather than dominate it with his own hobbies/interests, etc.
I've also printed up the order of getting down to work with his textbooks; some days his head is off in la-la land and he can take hours to do what he can finish within 30 mins some days.
Photobucket
Bizarrely, these are the exact same things we chant to him every day yet, because he is such a visual learner, reading them in black and white has already helped him get his work done with no angst and he's thrown his medication down his throat with greater speed than seen on Usain Bolt on a track.
He's never been one for the social stories or picture prompts but these lists have really clicked with him.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, I love my laminator !!!!

You have reminded me yet again, how more visual I need to be and not so audio.

Just don't try and laminate the cat. They don't like it.

Ro said...

LMFAO
It's hard to remember to be visual but when we do it just clicks and makes life so much easier for us all lol.

I'll avoid the cat ;)

AJ said...

Social stories may be fine, but they seem to me a bit of a frivolous ramble.

Point form - 1.2.3.4. straight to the point and no room for distraction. Good move, Ro.

@jencull (jen) said...

We use our laminator a lot, I have grown to dislike it somewhat *coughs*. Glad you still like yours and I hope it lasts. Great that you can see the cards helping already, that is a result and a half:) Jen

Valerie Foley said...

I'm autism stalking you again.

But today (last day of holidays here), in the light of your post and our disappointments at the end of last term...

I am having a laminating party with a 6 year old.

Thanks, Ro. As always, you guide me so well!

:)

Ro said...

Thanks, AJ, always found point form/lists to be the best :)

Sounds like you need to whip the laminator into line, Jen lol.

LOL Valerie!
Hey, if it helps, go for it :)