Enter the world of hi-tech mobile phones


Autism Communication Assistance with PECS

Nothing could have overjoyed a mothertheir 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 whathave employed is a Picture Exchange
it meant. Jump. As her son AidanCommunication System, or PECS. A PECS is
enthusiastically jumped on theiran augmentative communication system
trampoline, he had finally found a waydeveloped to help individuals quickly
to verbally indicate he wanted toacquire a functional means of
continue with the activity.On thecommunication (Bondy and Frost, 1994).
surface, none of this sounds terriblyIn layman's terms, it is a series of
remarkable, except that Aidan is nearlysturdy cards containing clear photos and
four years old and still predominantlyillustrations that the child can use to
non-verbal. Like an increasing number ofcommunicate. Eventually, the hope is
children, he has been diagnosed withthat Aidan will be able to arrange
autism.In spite of this milestone,pictures on a velcro strip to
Shannon and her husband Mark havecommunicate using pictorial "sentences".
struggled to finance their son'sFor now, he simply selects cards and
therapy. Speech therapy, evaluations,brings them to his parents. By selecting
and special pre-school programs helpa picture of a peanut-butter-and-jelly
Aidan maximize his potential throughsandwich and handing it to Shannon, for
early intervention, and he's beenexample, he is able to communicate not
showing marked progress. Their insuranceonly that he is hungry, but what he
company, however, has been less thanwould like for lunch. This type of
supportive, categorizing autism as ancommunication is a breath of fresh air
"incurable condition" for which therapyfor Aidan, and his parents are quite
is not covered. While their battle withencouraged by this new ability to
the insurance company rages on, thesecommunicate with pictures.
dedicated parents try their best to help



1 A B C D E F G 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145