Griffin Uses His Dynavox

Recorded on December 22, 2007 using a Flip Video camcorder.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Dynavox
• Griffin

[lcl176]

hey how old is griffin anyways like why is he useing a talker whats his syendruem anyways and goodjob he speaks but why do you make him use this if he speaks.

[tonie5]

hi there! He was 13 when this was taken and he's 14 now. The device helps when we can't understand his speech.

[apotnis97]

Awesome job mom in encouraging him.From what I can see he is using teen gateway. Ours started using his about a year ago. He uses gateway and on screen keyboard launched from gateway. We need to teach him how Griffin combines his language using icons instead of typing words which takes a longer time. Wish we could also modify gateway for academics also

[tonie5]

Griffin relies heavily on onscreen keyboard too and it was super tough to break him out to use the icons. He vastly prefers laboriously spelling it out. He uses icons all the time now for food but has to be taught and retaught for other stuff. How do you mean academics? I often quickly program homework or test stuff into the device so he can use it to respond.

[conduirty]

My son is six and is non-verbal. At what age can you start with this device and how do you get one? Our communication device is slow, heavy, and never near when it's needed. I would love to see my son get started on this device as soon as possible. Your son is doing great with his!

[tonie5]

Hi!

He was 11, but could have started sooner had I known about the devices and how to go about getting them. He had a really motivated speech therapist when he was 11 that thought he would benefit and it has been huge. The devices are expensive (approx $7000), but our insurance covered most of it.

There are multiple levels on the device. Griffin showed immediate and obvious interest even at the demo.

[jaydy11]

That's so great they he can talk through a dynavox!  I hope life goes well for him!!

Good luck!

peace =)

[heatherdthomas]

@conduirty We are receiving a device for my 3 year old son. He is autistic and nearly nonverbal. Some states Medicaid covers it. Ours did at 100% in GA.

[heatherdthomas]

I love how he still signs also! My son is 3 autistic and nearly nonverbal. We cannot wait for his dynavox. He learned how to say "I want a sucker please" on the device at the therapists office. He also signed please. Good job Griffin and Mom and thanks for the post it just reaffirmed my thoughts that we sooo desperately need this device.

[lcl176]

oh now i get it where do you guys live and hes a eighteh grader woiw

[apotnis97]

However thats ok for predictable normal everyday use. For academics its been arduous to program it. For example he had to use word myth in a sentence as part of his 5th grade HW. On the computer he wrote "It's a myth that autistic people are mentally retarded". Or he was doing his hw on defining evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Catch 22 is we want him to be creative but fast too. We use WordQ on computer for faster output through predicition. Advice would be appreciated.

[apotnis97]

Yup ours was into spelling also but more with computer. The way his V is programmed right now is "toothbrush" ICON performs the action of Inserting text "I want to use my toothbruh". We want move in the direction which you guys have done where he has to construct the sentence and maybe write "My toothbrush needs its batteries charged" instead of canned sentences. (I am going to break this because of limitations of words)

[apotnis97]

The school should provide it