Sneak Preview
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating on April 2, 2012
Later today, Clay is making his third presentation to a class at Arcadia University. He’s practically a grizzled old veteran at this point.
In his first presentation, he talked about what typing has meant to him:
“My life was poor before I was typing. Now I am a free soul,” he told the class.
In his second presentation, he talked about his frustration that he is not typing more at school and about his Mom.
“I type well with my mom,” he typed. “She asks me lots of questions. she loves me very much.”
I won’t be able to make the third presentation, but I have a sneak preview to share since Clay was working on what he wants to say with his typing teacher, Lisa Romaine, on Saturday.
Here is part of what he has written, so far:
“i want to tell them i am very happy they want to see a person talk with a ipad. i hope they see it is me typing not mom. really hard to explain that it is me when mom is holding my arm. want to explain that i am smart but look retarded to most people. this is my biggest problem. i am smarter than i seem. just because i am not like you does not mean i am notworth knowing. think if you could not say what you wanted and only could type it with a person holding your arm. it sucks but is the only way for me.”
On Sunday, my wife asked him about using the word “retarded”.
“You’ve used the word ‘retarded’ twice now. Where did you learn that word?”
“ from school. some kids say it. they are stupid.”
“ Do they say it to you?”
“ no to each other. awesome to talk tomorrow. ”
Awesome, for sure. Can’t wait to hear how presentation number three comes out.
Wrestling with the tough questions
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating, Daily Life on March 15, 2012
When I found out The Philadelphia Inquirer was planning to run an op ed I wrote about Clay’s thoughts on his future, I naturally wondered what the little guy had to say about that.
“awesome to be a star,” he typed on the iPad he uses to communicate. “so cool to be famos.”
The article focuses on questions Clay raised during a session with his typing teacher. Tough questions. The kind of questions the parents of a kid with autism have a hard time facing. Read the rest of this entry »
A New Buddy?
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating, Daily Life on January 13, 2012
On the Road to Our Big Adventure
When we pulled into the home of Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue last Saturday, a big question was hanging in the air.
A key factor to consider when adopting a second dog, especially one being rescued from puppy mill purgatory, is how the first dog is going to feel about this intruder. It is a bit like bringing home a new baby, where the older sibling’s reaction can range from a hug to crying to thoughts that are better left unsaid.
The people with this rescue organization know this. So, they insisted that we bring along our basset hound, Miles, when Clay, my wife and I went to meet the dog they had picked out for us. Miles, who was a rescue himself a year ago, likes his spot on the sofa during the day. He likes his position at Clay’s feet during meals. He likes having first dibs on being scratched under the ears. Hard to know how he would react to a canine buddy. Read the rest of this entry »
House of Wabi-Sabi
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating, Daily Life on January 3, 2012
I’ve been busy transitioning to a new job, so my wife, Roe DeLuca, has stepped in to write about Clay’s unexpected Christmas gift request. Enjoy.
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It was two weeks before Christmas, and we still had no idea what to get Clay.
Clay has rarely been interested in toys and his visual issues prevent him from playing sports. He does enjoy the rhythm and silliness of Dr. Seuss books and will repeatedly watch his two favorite movies (Toy Story and Shrek), but we always feel guilty that we don’t match the bounty received by his older brother.
Now that Clay communicates through a talking keyboard, I decided to ask him if there was anything special he’d like to see under the tree this year. Read the rest of this entry »
Grinchy Grin
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating, Silly Behaviors on December 20, 2011
Friday night, we decorated our tree for Christmas and found a place of honor for the Grinch and his dog/reindeer, a gift from a very thoughtful friend last year after we lost ours to Mr. Busy Hands.
The two of them seem quite happy in their new home, nestled between the cowardly lion and a strawberry. Yes, the little guy went to work on the ornaments quickly, as he does every year. A fragile Charlie Brown’s Christmas globe hit the floor just minutes after we plugged in the decorative lights. My fault for putting it out. Fortunately, most of his attention has been on the ceramic Santas, which, as usual, have found themselves relocated to numerous nooks and crannies throughout the house. I found one staring at me from the top of the toilet tank last night. Got me questioning whether I was naughty or nice this year. Read the rest of this entry »
Questions Answered
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating on December 2, 2011
Our recent trips to supported typing teacher Lisa Romaine have revealed how much Clay has to say through his keyboard. But the sessions in the room with the orange walls have also raised some interesting questions for us. Why does he move around so much? Why does he need support to type on his iPad when he uses it independently for most everything else? Why is this all so difficult for him? How is it that our basset hound can hear a potato chip hit the carpet in the family room while he is snoring like a freight train on the sofa two rooms away?
Typing is the key to unlocking Clay’s future, and we want to understand as much about it as we can. So, my wife posed all but the question about the dog (chalk that up to the mysteries of life) to Lisa via email. She also asked the Typing King himself. Their answers are below. Read the rest of this entry »
Enlightening the World
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating on November 25, 2011
Heading to our second session with supported typing teacher Lisa Romaine this past Saturday, we were just expecting an hour of working on Clay’s typing skills. The little guy had bigger ideas.
We started, as usual, with a few minutes in the play area to get the kinks out following a two-hour drive. Then Clay headed into the work room, where he spent most of the session typing one statement. He started with this, as Lisa blocked him against the wall to type:
“the way i see it is i am going to be famous some day people will look to me for advice about all things autism i am excited about the enormous potential to improve society”
Quite a start. Read the rest of this entry »
Back in the Saddle
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating on November 21, 2011
On our first visit to a stable, Clay surprised all of us by getting on a horse and taking it for a spin. He exhibited an instant comfort level and connection with horses, resting his forehead against their muzzles, touching their flanks. Sadly, his first group of lessons lasted only about a month before issues with insurance led to a need to look elsewhere. Easier said than done, it turned out.
After about a year of staring at painfully long waiting lists for therapeutic riding sessions (and 18-page applications), my wife recently connected with a newly invigorated program that had openings for lessons. So, Saturday morning, we made the 40 minute drive to Rainbow Ridge Farm Equestrian Riding Center to get the little guy back in the saddle, hoping the layoff didn’t dampen his enthusiasm or connection. Read the rest of this entry »
Typing King
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating on November 17, 2011
Last year, when Clay was asked to show off his typing skills for a class held at Arcadia University, I was on the road and had to watch it later on video. This year, I wasn’t about to miss it live.
Clay was typing for the Communications Mentors’ Network, a group that supports communication skills for everyone. The class was meeting in the campus library on an overcast afternoon. Read the rest of this entry »
Back on Track
Posted by Larry Blumenthal in Communicating on November 7, 2011
“you get me”
That is the first thing Clay typed for Lisa Romaine, a supported typing teacher we visited this past Saturday. This wasn’t the first time we visited with Lisa. Clay opened up for her once before in August 2010, words pouring out of him. So, when his typing slowed over the past six months—stopping nearly completely at school—we decided another visit was in order. Maybe regular visits.
After a two-hour drive, and a 10-minute period for Clay to stretch his legs and decompress in the playroom at the center where Lisa works, we herded him into the workroom. Lisa promptly blocked him in a corner with a typing program open on his iPad and, after some preliminaries, jumped right in.
“Is there a reason why typing is getting hard?” she asked. Read the rest of this entry »
Life With Clay 