Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Let's Talk!

With Rett syndrome, communication is tricky.  I know that most girls Abby's age are talking or texting for much of the day.  She's a teenager now and teenagers are social creatures. 

Recently, I created a Prezi for her peers at school, to help them understand how to communicate with Abby.  Now that they "get" the basics of Abby101, they are asking to hang out with her and that has changed the dynamics of her school experience.

Although I still think regular brain function would be simplest, I'm excited about the new developments in eye-gaze technology!  Next week, Abby will go to her official assessment for an augmentative communication system.  It's been a long process with a lot of homework involved, but there is the potential for Abby to say things she could never express through traditional eye-gaze communication.  

Abby got to try out the new technology at the O.R.S.A. family conference last year.  What amazed me most was how quickly she could respond to the questions.  You get so used to the response delays, you can forget that the main problem is apraxia.

Beyond the possibilities for Abby and others on a personal level, this new technology is opening up renewed interest in scientific studies of communication and cognitive function. The world won't have to take our word for it anymore.  We will have proof.  These people with Rett syndrome are smart, they understand everything, and they have a lot to say!