This afternoon I was on the phone with Junior's mom and he started getting very upset. I grabbed his ipad and he quickly was able to tell me that he needed his braces(AFO's and back brace) taken off. I was then chatting on the phone and telling his mom how he uses the IPAD and that he shows me what he wants and I press the button so he can "say" it. I was talking about how well Junior is doing with the ipad so certainly didn't think him listening to the conversation was in issue. Well that is until Junior started hollering at me. It was very clear that he was upset about what I had told his mom about his ipad use. Specifically that I had said I help him talk with it. I had never thought about how he views his ipad use. As far as he is concerned looking at the symbol makes it talk, and thus he is doing it by himself. Poor guy went on and on in a very loud and upset voice for several minutes(I may not have understood his words but it didn't take words to get his point). I had to assure him that yes he does it by himself and then tell his mom the same on the phone.
Wow, this was a very eye opening moment. I hadn't realized how much the ipad is allowing Junior to feel some independence and how much that means to him.
Also let me know that he never misses what is going on around him no matter how much he is pretending to not listen. Yet another reminder that he truly does understand so much more then the world gives him credit for.
Here is a short video taken at the very end up his being upset. He was not nearly as loud by the time I took the video but it will give you a good idea of how he gets when he is upset and try to tell me how it is.
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