Today, a glimpse into Dar’s world of therapy. Through our insurance, we work with an ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) provider who arrange for therapists to come to our house and work with Dar. While he’s in school we get 10 hours a week; during a recent week when he was out of school, he got more. We mostly see the same person and she’s GREAT! Her initials are “SE” as written below.

There’s a whole spreadsheet of targets, goals, progress…I’m not going to reproduce that here. Instead I’m just gonna bring you into my world by showing you the little summaries our people write by hand…sometimes I can’t read their writing, but these represent the little floating rocks of hope by which we traverse the unending stream of Dar’s diagnosis.

6/16/14 – LG

Ḏ was pretty cranky today – maybe put off by new BT/sub. We paired/did maintenance, “Up,” “Spinning,” “tickles” seemed aversive to him coming from me. Otherwise very compliant with most demands. Ran maintenance.

6/16/14 – SE

Dar was definitely having an “off” day today. No bhx issues or crying but Ḏ seemed unmotivated & like he was having a rotten day. Dad said he noticed his melancholy mood today. Tried to get him revved up but Ḏ wasn’t having it. Got 1 smile the whole ssn 🙁

6/17/14 – LG

Ḏ was in a great mood today! Lots of smiles and great finishing his programs. No bxs 🙂 M IVF 1,2,3

Also I don’t know if I’m accepting the right response for his echoics since my data spiked – it should’ve came when he said it though [?]

6/17/14 – SE

Since echoics targets are re-introed I am being pretty discriminating on what I accept. Not accepting: for “A” I am hearing “ee” or “eh”; “pa-pa” hearing “baba”, eye = eh/uh

However he did make improvements w/ all of these today. Especially since I have heard him say these clearly & flawlessly before I am only accepting his best 🙂

Struggled a bit w/apple w/me – mislabeling as grapes (geh) – our last target

Rocked pecs – have desired icon on first page in FO4

Ruh hands + WF target nearly mastered!

Updated new main. sheets

6/18/14 – LG

Good ssn! All smiles & tickles – got through programs & most of maintenance

Ḏ may have made 3 attempts to bite but then he did the familiar grab B’s [?] hands to lunge, he didn’t open his mouth but I heard his teeth grinding; I didn’t write them down as instances bc I’m not sure if they would be considered attempts

[note from SE: He often does this when showing affection. He will grab hands, arm & push face against & chatter teeth – he does this with parents as well & I don’t consider it a bite attempt] [note back from LG: ok thanks :)]

“Dar” was difficult for me to tell whether he was pronouncing the “r” so I won’t write down the data

For pecs Ḏ will go to the “tiles” icon very consistently but seems to get it confused w/ “yogurt” – he’s physically leading me to refrigerator but is giving me the icon for tiles.

6/18/14 – SE

Good ssn w/ Ḏ. Lots of smiles this afternoon as well.

Still mixing “grapes” (geh) w/ “apple” target this afternoon

Ḏ loves sesame st. song videos – especially “Belly Breathe” “Five By” & “1,2,3,4” by Feist

For Point to ___ in FO3 – Ḏ is just grabbing item w/me 🙁

Attending went fantastic!! 100% on all targets.

6/19/14 – LG

Great ssn! Ḏ ran through his programs & maintenance really quickly

For tact – apple is the enar [??] we got was when he said “Appa-geh” when I looked away he then said “Appa” again

Probed new targets to intro

Pt. went well until I asked him to “pt @ cup” & then Ḏ picked it up and pretended to drink out of it

6/19/14 – SE

Awesome afternoon w/ Ḏ! Fabulous mood and very chatty 🙂

Echoics sounded much clearer – definitely helping to have 2x the therapy!

Attending – 100% again – opened target 10 ft & Ḏ being called from behind

Did great w/point @ __ Fo3 – Used 3D & 2D cards for this target

Already intent [?] of smell w/hose!

6/24/14

Longer ssn today (3 hrs) to make up time. Ḏ did great! Did first 2.5 hrs upstairs w/o any bhxs.

Really motivated by Cheerios and Elmo songs.

Goldfish & grapes available but Ḏ was uninterested. Glad to see other foods being offered!

Struggled with attending to tacts today – overgeneralizing current target (apple) to all cards presented.

IVF in pointing looks great.

Echoics – “pa-pa” hard to distinguish from “ba-ba” – Ḏ is struggling w/ “puh”

Struggles w/ pecs today as Ḏ was only choosing “tiles” but wanted o’s or juice

6/25/14

Tough ssn today Ḏ’s bhx was fine but he was motivated by nothing! Managed to get a lot done but could tell Ḏ wasn’t in the mood to do work – lots of avoidance/escape.

Worked a bit for running & O’s

Struggling w/ pecs – only going for “this” [?] icon when other icons are desired. Tried comesp. Cheek & 2 & Ḏ did not pair icon w/presented item

6/26/14

Spacey boy today! In a good mood but had a tough time getting Ḏ to look @ me or targets.

Having a tough time hearing difference between pa-pa & ba-ba / puh & buh

“Dar” is shaping up – not a strong “r” sound but getting closer

Opened “string bead” in fun to help Ḏ use his left hand more

Motivators today: O’s and tiles – honestly he wasn’t that into playing/engaging w/me 🙁 always tomorrow!