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From gw.cupertino.k12.ca.us!starr_catherine Tue Feb 8 11:03:57 2000
X-UIDL: 25b5c759de3d193d9ce348b9df75f2d7
Date: 8 Feb 2000 11:01:41 -0800
From: "Starr Catherine"
Subject: RE: Communication
To: "shei fun yeh"
Dear Shei,
I am happy to able to communicate with you via e-mail. I don't have web access
from my conputer at school but I will try to access the web page from home.
Let me share with you some of the things I have encountered since I began
working with Ting Ting. First she is a VERY sweet little girl. She has very
expressive eyes and I hope we can teach her (and others) how to communicate
using them. We won't give up on her hands though. Yesterday I worked with her
a bit in the classroom and on the playground, both unusual but they were
necessary at the time. I went into the classroom to get another child for his
session and Ting Ting was distraught. She was crying and appeared to be having
a tantrum. I didn't think she was, I thought she looked frustrated. She was
trying to communicate something and she couldn't. She had been this way since
I had taken the previous child to therapy so I knew it wasn't getting any
better. I won't go in to all the details of the encounter, but I was able to
understand that she was uncomfortable...it appeared her fingers on one hand
and the other arm hurt. When I held her in such a manner that I didn't cause
her pain and I was able to keep her hand away from her face so she didn't
cause herself anymore pain she was able to calm herself. After that she was
able to participate in the classroom activities. I discussed with May what I
did and gave her suggestions for the future. Then on the playground I noticed
that May was following very closely while Ting Ting wnadered aimlessly around
the playground. Since I know one of the things important to you is her social
interactions I went onto the playground and introduce Ting Ting to the play
structure. I showed May how she could facilitate Ting Ting playing like the
other children and to teach her how to do it herself in the future. Ting Ting
was a little scared since it was her first time, but she had fun. Today one of
the aids told me that she wanted to go back on the structure later the same
recess...That's what I call progress.
I borrowed the Rett Handbook from Becky and I was just reading a section that
says this type of motor activity is important. In my other research about
brain dysfunction (as in brain injury) I learned that it is possible to incite
brain connections to be made in situations where it wouldn't normally happen.
In reading the handbook, I don't see why it couldn't work in this case, at
least to a small extent... in the very least it couldn't hurt.
The Rett Handbook is a great resource. I call the 800 number and ordered one
for myself. They also referred me to a center in Houston where they work with
several Rett Girls. I'm hoping to speak with an SLP there to see how they work
with the girls.
One of the first level steps Ting Ting needs to develop is yes/no responses. I
haven't seen this at school (mostly because I haven't asked those questions
yet) does she do this at home? How accurately?
I look forward to a continued dialog with you and to doing the best I can for
Ting Ting.
Catherine