reid'smommy
12-29-2005, 02:22 AM
My 3 1/2 yr old son was dx w/mild PDD -NOS in Sept. He has begun receiving services through our school district. I would like to know if any of you have suggestions on strategies I could use to get him to answer yes/no questions? He is very verbal, affectionate, & very intelligent. He just has trouble communicating & does not answer questions at all. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Cherie
Cherie
Sponsor
bercol1
12-29-2005, 05:21 AM
Hi Cherie
What we done with my son Anthony was - I would sit at one side of the table, and Anthony sat at the other and the therapist (or dad) would go behind him. We would then ask him a question (one we knew what he would answer) Question "Anthony chocolate yes or no". I would hold up a piece of chocolate. the therapist would then answer the question as if she was Anthony's voice. she would say Yes and then take Anthony's hand and take the chocolate we done this a few times and then ask the question and we would say or do nothing then if he had no verbal response we would just say "y" and see if we could get hin to say "es" he caught on pretty quick and soon the yes was coming. we then let him play around and at varies times through out the day repeat the question just so he could generalise we would use different things "anthony milk yes or no" we got friends and family to do the same, then in the same way we got him to say no. We had to promt him often with "Y" or "n" but he's now getting the hang of it.
I hope this makes sense but it did work for Anthony.
good luck
Bernadette
What we done with my son Anthony was - I would sit at one side of the table, and Anthony sat at the other and the therapist (or dad) would go behind him. We would then ask him a question (one we knew what he would answer) Question "Anthony chocolate yes or no". I would hold up a piece of chocolate. the therapist would then answer the question as if she was Anthony's voice. she would say Yes and then take Anthony's hand and take the chocolate we done this a few times and then ask the question and we would say or do nothing then if he had no verbal response we would just say "y" and see if we could get hin to say "es" he caught on pretty quick and soon the yes was coming. we then let him play around and at varies times through out the day repeat the question just so he could generalise we would use different things "anthony milk yes or no" we got friends and family to do the same, then in the same way we got him to say no. We had to promt him often with "Y" or "n" but he's now getting the hang of it.
I hope this makes sense but it did work for Anthony.
good luck
Bernadette
reid'smommy
12-29-2005, 07:35 PM
Thanks so much for your advice - I will start trying it tonight!!!
jeffreys mom
12-31-2005, 03:02 AM
My son is also PDD/NOS and sounds similar. Strange as it may sound, we actually have to teach them how to answer questions. It does not come naturally as it does with typical kids. We ask the question, then model the appropriate response phasing it down to a light prompt by starting the answer and letting him finish it then phasing it down to waiting until he answers it. Then it's practice practice practice. It needs to be ongoing and consistent but it does work. Good Luck
BetsyAnn
01-02-2006, 01:28 AM
My son's speach therapist lent us a computer program that did the trick. It is called Autism & PDD: Yes/No Questions. After using the program for about 15 min. a day for just under two weeks he became a pro with the yes and no questions. Prior to using the program he had never said the word yes. He only used no to express anger. It is amazing how much broader his communication ability is just by adding those two little words. (We have also borrowed Concepts and Opposites from the same series but they haven't made the same conection. I am giving them a rest and will try them again later.)
If anyone is interested the Software is from LinguiSystems.
If anyone is interested the Software is from LinguiSystems.
geezermom
01-02-2006, 01:58 AM
Betsy Ann, how old is your boy? Mine is 5 and I'm curious about the various softwares you mentioned. Thanks.
Cole is PDD NOS too, and he does answer yes and no, but sometimes, its only when he really gives a hoot about the ramifications. If he's been in lala land and not paying attention to me, then I'll ask him some no brainer YES questions...do you want some sprite?...do you want some cashews? He'll say yes, please to both. I follow this by a NO question...as he's eating his snack, I'll ask do you want a bite of this salad? If he doesn't respond, I get kind of invasive hovering with a piece of lettuce and ask "do you want salad? yes, please???" He'll turn his head away and say "no thanks." And of course I say Good manners, Cole! No thanks is good manners. This is kind of ABA-ish, but its just an exaggeration of how you teach typical kids to say yes please and no thanks.
Be careful when you set him up with yes/no questions. I used to ask, did you have fun at school? He'd say yes. Did you do some painting today? Yes. Then I'd ask, did you eat an entire uncooked turkey for snack? Yes. I thought, at age 3, he had conquered yes/no's, but discovered he'd answer yes just to be polite. Try some trick questions involving sushi or dry toast!
Cole is PDD NOS too, and he does answer yes and no, but sometimes, its only when he really gives a hoot about the ramifications. If he's been in lala land and not paying attention to me, then I'll ask him some no brainer YES questions...do you want some sprite?...do you want some cashews? He'll say yes, please to both. I follow this by a NO question...as he's eating his snack, I'll ask do you want a bite of this salad? If he doesn't respond, I get kind of invasive hovering with a piece of lettuce and ask "do you want salad? yes, please???" He'll turn his head away and say "no thanks." And of course I say Good manners, Cole! No thanks is good manners. This is kind of ABA-ish, but its just an exaggeration of how you teach typical kids to say yes please and no thanks.
Be careful when you set him up with yes/no questions. I used to ask, did you have fun at school? He'd say yes. Did you do some painting today? Yes. Then I'd ask, did you eat an entire uncooked turkey for snack? Yes. I thought, at age 3, he had conquered yes/no's, but discovered he'd answer yes just to be polite. Try some trick questions involving sushi or dry toast!
BetsyAnn
01-02-2006, 02:40 AM
The Yes/No program has a main character Buddy Bear that all the questions relate to . You first choose the setting, school, the beach, the grocery store, the park, home. Then it asks simple yes/no questions. For example, "Buddy Bear is at the beach. He brought something to wear. Is it pants?" Then you click yes or no. If Buddy Bear were weaing a swimsuit say "Ops, try again." If you clicked on no, it would say. "No. It's not pants, it's a swimsuit. Good job." If it said, "Buddy Bear brought something to cover his head. Is it a hat?" If he was wearing a hat and you click yes it would say, "Yes. Buddy Bear brought a hat. Good job."
If your son already has the concept of yes and no down (even if he doesn't always use it correctly) this program would probably not help him much. It is very basic. My son, who is four, had never even said the word yes before using this program. So I feel it was very worthwhile for him.
I relate to what you said about the trick questions. When my son is on a roll he will answer yes to some pretty ridiculous questions. This is usually when someone other than he has initiated the "converstion", and it is also when the discussion is about things that don't really matter to him or something he really doesn't understand. When the questions deal with something that he wants or really cares about he nails them everytime.
If your son already has the concept of yes and no down (even if he doesn't always use it correctly) this program would probably not help him much. It is very basic. My son, who is four, had never even said the word yes before using this program. So I feel it was very worthwhile for him.
I relate to what you said about the trick questions. When my son is on a roll he will answer yes to some pretty ridiculous questions. This is usually when someone other than he has initiated the "converstion", and it is also when the discussion is about things that don't really matter to him or something he really doesn't understand. When the questions deal with something that he wants or really cares about he nails them everytime.
geezermom
01-03-2006, 12:04 AM
Thanks, BetsyAnn!