Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Knows What She Wants, Knows How to Get It

Joy had a stimmy, scattered House Blend therapy session while I was at handbells last night.

Even with a chewy-tube clipped onto her dress, she was still perseverating on stimmy toys to the extent that the barista was having a hard time getting through. The stimmy of choice was a My Little Pony, who was gettin' her pink mane intensely chewed upon.

The barista eventually hid the pony away.

Joy proceeded to go find the pony-photo in the photo binder, yank it off its velcro, and hand it over emphatically.

My Little Pony PECS card

She got her pony back. Wish I'd been there to see it.

10 comments:

mama edge said...

I've always believed that parents and therapists need to use their kids' stims and obsessive interests productively, rather than just trying to extinguish them. What a wonderful example of how this works!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is so cool that Joy was able to communicate what she wanted so clearly. She really "gets it" about the pictures representing objects. Good for Joy!
-AuntieS

Anonymous said...

that's AWESOME! now you know the currency!!!!

Quirky Mom said...

Good for Joy!!

pixiemama said...

Yay, Joy!
Foster's a chewy guy, too. But... Now that he's old enough to go to school all day, I've found out that he only stuffs things in his mouth at home, which I find intriguing.

xo

Anonymous said...

Very cool! Put a check in the data box for communication prevented meltdown, eh?

Barbara

datri said...

LOL, Kayla does the same thing if her snack choice isn't available on the fridge. She'll go digging in the drawer where we keep the unavailable picture until she finds what she wants.

Boy, those ponies! I've kept Laurie's away from Kayla because I knew she'd just stim on them. But then someone in Kayla's class gave them out as holiday gifts. So now Kayla has her own Little Pony to chew on and dangle!

Anonymous said...

Go Joy!!!!
And I love the emphatic part!

JoyMama said...

Jesswilson & Mama Mara - fascinating point about knowing the currency, using stims/obsessions as motivators. I think I may need to think and write about that. It ties into something else I read recently -- and requires a delicate balancing act I think.

Everyone else -- good to hear of other chewers, pony-stimmers, communicators. And thanks for all the Joy cheers!

CC said...

That is awesome. :)