Friday, February 24, 2017

Communication Non-Verbally

Last week I wrote about having much communication with my Saturday night charge despite the fact he's non-verbal and quite low-functioning.
And we reached new heights of communication tonite.... including going out back for the first time!
Last Saturday he was able to indicate he wanted me to put on Thomas the Train and, in exchange, he was holding my computer mouse as a sort of hostage. But i
didn't know how to do that and he left the room as if to say, you fail.


Today he came over and rubbed my hand and stared into my face for about five minutes which i've learned is clear indication he wants something.
I put on Thomas the Train (having learned how to use the family's tv/dvd set up) and he was happy and he'd pinch my arm and fingers which I think means he's happy but it sort of hurts so i'd give him my sad face and say "ouch!" I Will talk later to the parents to see what that's about.
And so we watched Thomas together and I have to say, just once I want Thomas to be the bad guy or be defeated by evil doers just to keep the show interesting.
Then something new happened! He reached for my hand and started to walk toward the kitchen. I thought he was going to ask, in his own way, for help with
something in the kitchen but no, he pulled me further, still holding on to my hand and we found ourselves at the door to the backyard area.


He waited impatiently while i figured out how to unlock the back door and he went outside.
I should explain that THIS is a big deal. I've been coming every Saturday for more than one year and this is the first time we've been outside of the
house so i was like, wow, and he, who loves sensory delights, was living it up. He was enjoying the feel of the wind in his hair, the feel of grass on his
feet. I love working with folks on the autism spectrum for many reasons and the main one is how the brains work different but another is that they are quite
clear in their loves of sensory pleasures to the point where I think those of us not on the spectrum can learn something.

When's the last time you just did something purely for the sensory pleasure. Ok, besides bedroom stuff and chocolate?
Sometimes, and I think tonite was one of those times, he's the teacher and I'm the student.
Also, leaving the house felt like we'd just moved past a Groundhogs Day-sort of loop.
Next time: More outside and less Thomas please. But we'll see, i'm not the one in charge.