pecs, crash corner, sensory garden | Autism PDD

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Ok guys, I have some new projects. Number one on my list is PECS. Then the crash corner, then the sensory garden (it is last on my list because I am scared of how much it will cost me to do!)

Any recommendations, ideas or advice on how to do these cheaply? I am SUPER busy, as I am sure you all understand, and i don't have enough time to find thousands of pictures like all these sites recommend. I also don't have 0 for the program with all of them on it. Maybe I am going too far with this?

Have any of you done these things, and how did you do them?

Just looking for advice. i would like to get PECS started this next week if i can get the time to make the stuff. The crash corner I think I can do with stuff I already have. The sensory garden? Whew! That will cost a firtune, but maybe you guys have ideas!

Sorry i am rambling, it is late!
Ok, I am repsonding to my own post, but I found a GREAT free resource for PECS. it is:

www.dotolearn.com

FREE! So if anyone else doesn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on pictures and software, here you go. The only downside is that they are in black and white, but I am going to color them with colored pencils. It will save my color printer ink anyway!

We have been using PECS with our son for about 3 years  now. I highly recommend you get the PECS manual and read it before you start if you haven't already. You wouldn't have to read the entire book at first, just about the first 3 phases. It is easy to read, and tells you exactly how to go about doing PECS.  You can buy the manual here: http://www.difflearn.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DRB%20056&t op=2  or here: http://www.pyramidproducts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPat h=21&products_id=28&osCsid=21609eb7bd7da69e1f929de95 42cbed0

The Pics for PECS CD is reasonably priced and has a lot of icons on it. It is not a program like Boardmaker, but you import the pictures into Word or whatever program you want to use, and you can make them any size you want. It is very easy to use once you understand how it works. http://www.pyramidproducts.com/catalog/product_info.php?prod ucts_id=69&osCsid=92304aa4ead7c13c8bb79568ca5b599f

A communication book is easy to make. Just buy a notebook, whatever size you want to use, and add velcro. I like to put 3 vertical strips on each page (I cut one inch velcro in half.) I use plastic notebook dividers for the pages. I have velcro on the front of the notebook the inside covers of the notebook, and on the front and backs of 2 pages.

http://www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/pecs/pecsindex.html  (Free boardmaker pictures, in color)

http://www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/sped/autism/assist/asst10.htm (Good information about visual communication systems)

ftp://ftp.pattan.k12.pa.us/pattan/Instruction/VisualStrat.pd f (Visual strategies booklet, a pdf file)

http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm (This page has lots of visual communication links, and at the bottom of the page there are a ton of pictures and icons in color)

http://www.pecs.com/ (The PECS website)

http://www.tacanow.com/pecs.htm (A parent's advice about PECS)

http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/communication/WhatisthePEC. html description of PECS and the phases)

http://www.emmasweb.com/pecs.htm (A parent's site)

Thanks! I was looking for a site like this!

Hi Enikkibaby ~
I'm very curious to hear about what specifically a "Sensory Garden" is...I'm assuming it's set up to deal with sensory issues, but would love to hear more.

Thanks so much...
~Lesley

Did anyone see the ABC Extreme Home Makeover with the little boy w/Autism?  They did a "sensory bedroom" for him....awesome!  Plus, they did a really good job of explaining to people what these poor kids with dysfunctional SI go through daily.  Great show, I wish I would have taped it.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

my daughter was started on PECS last year in preschool. they sent some pictures home for us to use, but we dont have enough. its been a miracle! my daughter's teacher was going to make more pictures for us, but her computer with the program is packed away for the summer. i've been looking everywhere for this!!
horanimals-

I am still learning about sensory gardens too! However, they are places where our kids can touch, feel, smell, etc to thier little hearts content, and hopefully get some peace. A local DJ here in Cincinnati has a little boy with autism recently diagnosed, and she has brought a lot of awareness to this area. It is one if the biggest stations in the area, and she is one of the morning DJs, so you can imagine. Anyway, she has been talking about it, and how much it helped her son in her online journal. It seems like you need a fountain, and windchimes, and birdfeeders, etc. I figure we can plant plants together, and watch the birds. I should give him a place to go and just be himself, and relax in his own skin, yet provide good natural stimulation.

Like I said, I am just learning about this too, but it sounded like it worked so well, and I think it would be perfect for my boys. I think the running water would be GREAT, so I am looking on Google for ways to do this homemade! If I run across things, i will post!

check out some of the catalogs they have for special needs kids... seeing things in there gives me ideas of things I can go and buy from a nearby store for less and have it work in the same way.

CATALOGS for Special Needs (and sites to order from)

http://www.otawatertown.com/resources.html

http://www.pfot.com/ShowProducts.php?interest=Sensory

http://www.specialkidszone.com/

http://www.beyondplay.com/index.htm

http://www.theraproducts.com/index

http://www.specialneedstoys.com/

http://www.stars4kidz.com/

http://www.superduperinc.com/catalog.htm

http://www.difflearn.com/

I found the site very helpful also ! Thank you!
BTW- I just got back from Dollar General, and I spent and got almost everything I need. My boyfriend thinks he can use an old aquarium pump I have to finish the water fountain. The only thing I need now is plants, and since it is July, I am not going to go overboard this year. But I should be able to get what I buy cheaply. This isn't nearly as bad (expensive) as i thought it would be! Michelle, you are right, you can look in the expensice catalogs, and get ideas, then go make the stuff youself, or get it at Big Lots or Dollar General, or Walmart!

Thanks again!

Nikki WILDFLOWER seeds are awesome! But dont ask me how to go about planting them I always just follow the package directions.

glad the links help. They are in the first section under the newbies sticky  under sensory and blankets probably about 3/4 of the way through. I find it because I've needed it too! LOL

 

This is a fantastic thread. I wish that I had enough ink to print the whole thing out. These are great  ideas. Michelle, how do you have time to find all this treasure? You are such a gift! Janet

Yeah, it'll die, (or you eat it!) but luckily the seeds were only like 50 cents for a package, and I'm SWIMMING in the stuff!

Another QUICK grow is Sunflowers .... you start the seeds (raw in the shell) folded into a wet paper towel inside....check them every day or so (and keep them wet), they sprout SUPER FAST...then you plant them and they grow like wildfire (make sure you don't plant too many, they'll take over!)  But they DO come back every year!

Happy growing!!!
~Lesley

Thanks...  I used to garden, but I have never attempted to start a garden in mid July before! Fast growers are great! I have a little section of yard sectioned off...  I'll let you guys know how it goes...  I think this will be GREAT for my boys. They don't like our big open yard, but with a little closed off section just for them I think they'll do much better!  Im glad it helped!

http://www.abilitations.com/environments.jsp

http://www.southpawenterprises.com/

Yes thank you Michele!  (I have lots of reading to do now!)  So much of that stuff is expensive, and you are exactly right, you can find things at local stores that fulfill the same need!  THANK YOU THANK YOU!

As for plants...don't know if this is what you're looking for, but if you grow your own Basil, you can almost watch it grow everyday, yeah you have to start at seeds, but they pop SO quickly, the plants grow rather large, and for us it's been a lot of fun measuring how much they grow everyday, to see the progress, knowing we started with just dirt, etc.  (Plus it smells awesome and there's a million and one ways to use it in the kitchen!)  I'm actually starting to think Riley can't smell though...have to ask the doc about that.

~Lesley

Oh Basil, GREAT idea! I'm going to pick some seeds up tomorrow! Will they die in the winter, or will it come back next year?

For the sensory garden, look in your area for a perrenial exchange.  Perrenials are plants that come back every year and get bigger too.  After a while they need to be split and replanted.  Gardeners get together and swap the plants they have split.  In our township, to participate in the swap, you must donate two plants to the township.  Seems like you could talk the swap organizer into getting plant donations.  The best thing about these swaps are the plants you get are already proven to grow well in your area.

I recommend lambs ear (very fuzzy), globe thistle (prickly), peonies (smell great), lavender (smell), and mint (watch out, can be invasive).  I'll post more as I think of them.

Good Luck

Suzi T

Hey Nikki you might want to think about buying one of those small round hard plastic kid pools and having someone dig out the ground and put the pool level with the grass. you can make it into a pond by adding a small water fountain if you want (they should be going on clearance VERY soon) and next sprong you could add a few gold fish. We have one (without the water fountain) and my kids love it we somehow end up with frogs there every year too! we planted water plants that come back too!now THAT is another wonderful idea! You guys are helping me so much! I can't WAIT to see how this turns out. The boys come back from their dad's tomorrow, and I am going to have them helpme plant some stuff!

Im excited! I wish I lived nearby that we could come over and help! It could be fun! But at least you get some fun quality time with your boys! Keep us updated!

You know I was thinking about it and the one I have isnt actually level with the ground..... some is sticking up and rocks are piled around it! I have pond plants I could split and share with you that spread.........

Lavender, chamomile and geranium i belive also ward off mosquitoes.

What a great idea. with a soft sand path. I know my guy would love it.

Thank you

Thank you all for informing me on Pecs, sensory gardens and
crash corners. I plan to tell others. My husband & I are raising my
grandson with autism & his sister. Living outside of the convential
family setting we are born to is stressful. I plan to use these
strategies for her too!!!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!! Michelle, i wish you lived close too! I wish SOMEBODY did! There is supposed to be a community play date soon for ASD kids & parents...  I am hoping to meet some local parents there. I don't have time to go to meetings & such...

I know this sounds bad of me, but I am tired of all of my friends having non-ASD kids.  It is difficult. They just don't get it. And it isn't their fault, just the way it goes...

<heavy sigh>


Oh Nikki I know! Believe me I know. I sometimes think how my life before autism has changed so much to this life with autism. Never going anywhere to avoid meltdowns, losing contact with friends who have NT kids. I have known my best friend some 15 years... her older NT kids are my oldest daughters age and we were like family for a long time... we went everywhere together... took the kids swimming, did picnic's, the playground, they trick or treated together.... she has a daughter 9 months older than my son who has an ASD.... and now that we live closer to each other (because I had moved out of state for several years) we never see each other. And I know its probably just me... but sometimes I really am having a horrific day and need someone to talk to and there is no one... either everyone I call - no one answers the phone.... or I get ahold of someone and I hear constant "hang on" because kids are asking to go somewhere or whatever and it just aggervates me to no end!

I have been thinking about your sensory garden....  I would love to be able to help you with it..... If possible when you dig an area for planting things .... pond..... walking path.... whatever..... TRY to get a sheet of heavy duty plastic and tack it down so it will keep weeds from growing!!!!   I mean who has time for weeding?????

I hope you are able to find support in meeting others in your area!!

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