Posted by Gerri Trala on March 22, 2004 at 13:26:21:
Is it possible for children to get the wrong AT device? I never knew about AT until a few years ago. My son is non-verbal and quad. He is 10 yrs old now and just got a dyna-vox a yr ago after I brought it up to his teachers at school two yrs ago. I had to really push and then it seemed as though it all of a sudden became a big rush..I don't even know who determined that he could use a dyna-vox. His teachers didnt even know how to work it. It was broke more than it worked for the first six months of having it. I couldn't believe that they never told about AT and I had to figure it out on my own. I still really don't know what is available out there and we are very limited for resources. I have been struggling with severe health problems myself and am the sole care provider for him. I switched schools for him in September 2003 and they got his device working all of the time. But he has great difficulty with his arms ...they are very tight and he has no fine motor skills ...so this box is hard for him to do correctly and he gets very discouraged. I feel that there might be something better for him out there but I don't or wouldn't know what it is. I feel maybe his school is afraid to tell me of anything alse or maybe limited with resources themselve s that might be available for tryouts. Because of my health and many hospitalizations he got his dyna-vox thru medicaid and won't be eligable for anything else for a long time. But I don't want that to be a stumbling factor for what might be available for him. If there is something or someway of finding out if something else might work I would at least like the option of knowing what it might be( a fundraiser might be a solution if there is). I am afraid that if I don't find an effective way for him to communicate that his frustration may drive him crazy. I think I would if I were him. He is very bright and gets so excited when I do figure out what he wants. Any one got any feed back?