| Nothing could have overjoyed a mother | | | | their son proactively in whatever way |
| more than to hear that one word:"Dump! | | | | they can within their financial |
| Dump!"It was one of the boy's first. | | | | limitations.One tool Shannon and Mark |
| Shannon (not her real name), knew what | | | | have employed is a Picture Exchange |
| it meant. Jump. As her son Aidan | | | | Communication System, or PECS. A PECS is |
| enthusiastically jumped on their | | | | an augmentative communication system |
| trampoline, he had finally found a way | | | | developed to help individuals quickly |
| to verbally indicate he wanted to | | | | acquire a functional means of |
| continue with the activity.On the | | | | communication (Bondy and Frost, 1994). |
| surface, none of this sounds terribly | | | | In layman's terms, it is a series of |
| remarkable, except that Aidan is nearly | | | | sturdy cards containing clear photos and |
| four years old and still predominantly | | | | illustrations that the child can use to |
| non-verbal. Like an increasing number of | | | | communicate. Eventually, the hope is |
| children, he has been diagnosed with | | | | that Aidan will be able to arrange |
| autism.In spite of this milestone, | | | | pictures on a velcro strip to |
| Shannon and her husband Mark have | | | | communicate using pictorial "sentences". |
| struggled to finance their son's | | | | For now, he simply selects cards and |
| therapy. Speech therapy, evaluations, | | | | brings them to his parents. By selecting |
| and special pre-school programs help | | | | a picture of a peanut-butter-and-jelly |
| Aidan maximize his potential through | | | | sandwich and handing it to Shannon, for |
| early intervention, and he's been | | | | example, he is able to communicate not |
| showing marked progress. Their insurance | | | | only that he is hungry, but what he |
| company, however, has been less than | | | | would like for lunch. This type of |
| supportive, categorizing autism as an | | | | communication is a breath of fresh air |
| "incurable condition" for which therapy | | | | for Aidan, and his parents are quite |
| is not covered. While their battle with | | | | encouraged by this new ability to |
| the insurance company rages on, these | | | | communicate with pictures. |
| dedicated parents try their best to help | | | | |