PECS Update

As you know, we have been working with Ayden on implementing PECS this summer. We successfully transitioned him to Phase III a few weeks ago and it is going fantastic.

Phase III is all about learning to associate a card with a specific object. By the end of Phase III, he should be able to identify and successfully use around 20-25 cards. We have around 20 cards setup in his book for him that he knows and uses. In addition, we have multiple cards in a pocket in his book we haven't introduced yet.

I would say Ayden is at the goal for Phase III right now. He successfully goes to his book to get cards associated with what he wants. We have favorite toys, common things he asks for (eat, drink), and specifics such as milk, water etc. He still requires prompts to use the book instead of pointing, but a simple "go to your book and tell us what you want" reminds him.

I'm so very happy we have come this far in just a couple months. A lot of his groundwork had been laid at school already, but we are now looking at starting Phase IV, which is the phase school wanted him on by the end of the school year based on his IEP. Mr Awesome and I knew he could do it, but actually starting Phase IV is an incredible feeling. Why so incredible outside of the obvious? Well, Phase IV brings us to building sentences. Yes, soon Ayden will be communicating in sentences with us. Even though it isn't with words, it's a big step, one that I'm overjoyed to be starting.

I am planning on taking the rest of July to introduce the remainder of the cards and give me some time to read through Phase IV training plus make the new cards / sentence strip that we need, then plan on beginning on August 1. That gives us an entire month before school starts to work on Phase IV.

Now if I could just get him to answer YES to questions....