Nathan's Speech

This morning I am happy to report that Nathan continued practising his speech all day yesterday.
He is throwing out new words and repeating words that not only I am saying but also his siblings.
As for other autism symptoms, I can't say that I have noticed a change as yesterday he undid the door for the patio a few times and continued to pull the innards from the broken mattress to toss over the railings.
This autism symptom has been halted many times by me doing a type of joining with him that I learned from The Option Institute http://www.optioninstitute.org
but it returns to rear it's ugly and downright messy head everytime that he seems to be evolving.
I use the word evolving loosely. Basically to me it means that when the children seem to be improving in one area, they use an autism symptom to regulate themselves.
Almost like a comfortable blanket that they keep returning to.
Kathleen's is that she will return to her spot downstairs where she keeps a supply of hard noodles and some of her favourite toys.
She will spend up to a few hours down there and then come back when she is ready to join us again.

The neat thing with Nathan's increase in speech is that his talking siblings are speaking more to him.
They hear him speak and just move in.
That part is great.
They were so used to him being non-verbal that they were used to taking his arm and leading him places or not asking him what he wanted to do, just assuming that he would go along with what they wanted to do, which for the most part he will.

I have a new computer program on dinosaurs and this is a favourite with John especially.
Well then, yesterday Nathan displayed an interest and he had suggestions for what he wanted to look at next.
It was rewarding to see that his brother would take his suggestions thereby reinforcing for Nathan the power of speech.

It will be interesting to see if Nathan talks at school tomorrow.
It is not one of his favourite places to be and I am aware that sometimes they do not see the things that I am seeing at home.
And lately, due in part to the mess regarding the para, all I am recieving in way of the daily report which should contain a brief summary of what the boys did on that day, is a comment that mainly that says, he had a fine day.
Well that is fine too.
Later.