DanTedesco
Registered: 07/14/09
Posts: 1
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Reply with quote | #1 |
My name is Dan Tedesco, and I'm from Connecticut. My wife Carey and I have a four-year-old son named Evan. He was diagnosed with autism at 19 months of age.
Here is a picture!
Evan is adorable and keeps us laughing. He is verbal, though with somewhat limited progress in using expressive language to get what he wants and needs.
Anyway, my wife Carey and I were turned on to picture-based communication aids by the Connecticut "Birth to Three" system. We used magnet boards, laminated/Velcro strips, etc. with Evan, and they worked! Evan is verbal, but picture schedules really helped to reduce his anxiety and empower him to make transitions from one activity to the next.
Where Carey and I got frustrated was trying to travel and move around with the tools available. Carrying around big notebooks was an inconvenience. We'd lose symbols. We wouldn't have the right one available at the right time. Moreover, it's amazing the attention you get at Burger King when you're showing big strips of pictures to your son! 
Our solution was to put a picture-based communications tool the iPhone and iPod Touch, for caregivers to use with those who have language and behavioral challenges. It's called iPrompts. I won't hog up space on this board evangelically proclaiming its benefits, as I don't think that's really fair to everyone (as badly as I might want to do it!).
Check out the website if it sounds interesting -- we've got a video tutorial, and some video testimony from a field trial we ran with parents and professionals, including the mother of a boy with Fragile X.
And, of course, I'd be happy to answer questions.
Some screenshots follow:
   
As a parent of a special needs child, I am VERY sensitive to being exploited and want to respect any rules set forth by the moderators of these boards about advertising. If telling you about our little invention violates the rules of this forum or otherwise makes anyone upset, I would totally understand the need to remove this post.
Other than that, good luck, and thanks for reading! 
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http://www.HandHoldAdaptive.com
Mobile Technology for the Differently Enabled |
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PeterHart
Registered: 02/04/09
Posts: 3
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Reply with quote | #2 |
Hi Dan and Carey,
You have just invented your own Dynavox. My 7 year old non-verbal daughter received her Dynavox System in April and it has opened a whole new world for her. If you need additional software for your system they should have it. --Go to http://www.dynavoxtech.com. (I have no financial connection to Dynavox)
I agree with you, one portable computer is much easier to take with you than the PEC system.
Melissa
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