It was late one Sunday morning at the end of spring break, and Clay couldn’t stop crying. We were all frustrated.

Was he sad? Angry? In pain? Since he is nonverbal, it is a guessing game based on body language and other circumstances. Sometimes a mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes. He banged his head a few times with his fist. That often means he has a headache. While the rest of us seek quiet and soft lighting when our head hurts, we’ve learned that Clay often reacts in the opposite manner, becoming loud and mobile. We know we guessed correctly if he quiets down about 30 minutes later. Sometimes he bangs his head with his fist because his brain is not working the way he would want. As if he is trying to kick start it. Sometimes he is frustrated about something he can’t do. Hard to know for sure.

But now that Clay is learning to use a talking keyboard, we had an opportunity to get an answer directly from the source.

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The consultant’s office was filled with hand-held spinning lights, noise makers, squeezable balls and lots of books. Clay particularly enjoyed a vibrating “snake” he could hold in his hand or loop around his neck. But nothing was enticing him to sit at the table in front of the electronic keyboard we wanted him to learn how to use. He chose instead to spin in an office chair, explore a desk and computer setup on the other side of the room and make frequent dashes for the steps that led to freedom.

I moved my chair in front of his escape route. My wife sat a few feet away. The consultant and a guy named Mike who was watching Clay a few afternoons each week, sat at the table. We had a couple hours ahead and no plans to leave until Clay engaged in some manner with that keyboard. Read the rest of this entry »