Finding the Best Setup

Since getting the ipad we have worked on finding the best way to position it for Junior's use.
Back at Christmas we received the Handeholder (www.handeholder.com) and love it. We have continued to experiment with the best ways to get it to work with Junior's wheel chair and have finally come up with what works best for him. I really like the handeholder with c-clamp because it is very easy to move and can quickly be changed from one spot to another. I can also very easily slide the ipad out of the clamp when I want to hold it. Our biggest issue has been finding an arm that is bendable and can be placed in some very strange positions to get the ipad where we need it. The wonderful man at handeholder sent us an extender arm which is great for Junior's transport stroller when we are out but his wheel chair presents a whole new set of positioning issues. I recently was going through a closet and found an old switching arm(held a head switch for Junior), it is heavy duty and has several movable joints. I decided to see if there was anyway to attach the handeholder to the switch arm. I was so excited when I found that the screw on the bottom of the handeholder clamp is compatible with the switch arm(I am not sure where this switch arm was purchased but it says Manfrotto on the side). Now our beloved handeholder works with every position we need it to be in.
Some pics of the switch arm
The point where the handeholder clamp is attached to the switch arm
the switch arm
arm attached to the base of a tripod for floor use

attached to Junior's wheel chair
I know this isn't a great pic for showing the arm but it is attached to the back of his stander. It is then positioned so it comes around to the side.

Junior has a cold so isn't feeling well at the moment. We saw the doctor yesterday and thankfully his lungs are moving air and there is no infection. Please keep him in your prayers, he loves to throw me curves and a cold is never just a cold with him.

Falling Behind

Life is busy as usual and I have fallen behind on posting. Junior is doing well aside from the usual asthma troubles.
A couple months ago he entered his first art contest and I was notified this week that he made it to the finals(out of over 400 entries). The final judging is in mid March. I am so proud of him and he is super excited about the contest.
Here is his bird painting he entered. With his yes/no eye gaze and some help from his ipad we discovered that this is a painting of Junior's favorite bird at our zoo. A brightly colored parrot who he likes to watch fly and talk.
Here are a few pictures from Valentines week. Junior is walking us through making some crafts. I have started mixing up the steps on his ipad to see how he does. Instead of putting the steps in order I mix them up so he has to really think about what comes next. Didn't fool Junior though he had no problem still walking us right through what he needed next for his craft.

Telling me what he is making (stained glass hearts)
Sprinkle on the paper
I want to do it myself

Making heart butterflies(I didn't get many ipad pics of this one but he was using it the whole time)
Hearts, Hearts, this was Junior's favorite Valentines craft this year. He thought it was sooo very funny to make butterflies completely out of hearts.
A little of our fun from the past week. I didn't catch it on camera but I had asked Junior what he wanted to do. He chose play on the Wii and then instead of just picking one game he chose 3.
This boy loves his wii and it is a wonderful way to get all his exercises in without him thinking of it as work. Nothing like a little Wii Therapy.
Asthma has been an issue the last several days with our crazy weather so we did school wherever Junior was comfortable. His reading skills are increasing by leaps and bounds now that we have a good system to tell what he is actually reading and understanding. We have introduced some letter blends and words with four letters. Recently I even began introducing some words with four letters and long vowel sounds. To think that if we had listened to Junior's very first teacher and not bothered trying to teach the basics("he will NEVER learn stuff like that so don't bother trying") he would not be having this whole new world opened for him.
Of course listening to a story is a favorite
This is from last night. Junior wanted to draw with his markers even though he was falling asleep and his asthma was really giving him trouble. (he can't move his hands but stiffens his arms and then pulls them in to get the marker to move)

You can always check out his personal blog to see whats going on with Junior on a day to day basis.
On our adaptions blog we are doing a series of posts on sensory rooms/spaces so feel free to click on over there to check it out.

Making Cookies

Junior loves to help out in the kitchen so this week he helped make cookies.
We made some cake mix cookies and added pecans along with dark and white chocolate chips, YUMMY.
He used his ipad to walk us through the steps and of course decided he needed to be very goofy.
Yes the eyes are closed on purpose
Now for the serious face
Can't hide that smile too long
Telling me to put them in the oven and then reminding me to set the timer, wouldn't want those cookies to burn

just being silly

Baking is such hard work, Junior decided he needed to relax and listen to a story after we finished.
Doing a little fly swatter painting outside

School Project

Junior is in the middle of a school unit on insects. He has been making habitats for some of the different insects and last week he was working on his butterfly habitat.
After he had finished making it he was using his ipad to tell me all about it and then called grandma to tell her about it.
This first picture was taken while we were making the butterfly habitat and he was answering questions about it as we worked.
Telling me about his finished project and how he made it
On the phone with grandma(the phone is over on the side of him next to the ipad so it isn't showing in the pics), he told her about his butterfly project and then just wanted to chat. I am sure I have mentioned many times how this kid LOVES to talk on the phone.
Junior's butterfly habitat
Making a stained glass butterfly
Learning about butterflies using the ibugs app

Switch Apaption For the Ipad

We found that there is now a blue tooth switch adaption available for the ipad. It is made by AbleNet and you can view it at www.ablenetinc.com just put ipad in the search box and you will be able to find it. It has two switches built in or you can attach your own switch/switches. Junior does great with his eye gaze and the ipad but being able to use his head switch with it would give him more independence. Currently there are a VERY limited number of apps available that will work with a switch but I am sure that will change in the future. I did have a chance to check out an app called Sounding Board which is switch accessible. I need to play with it a bit more before giving a real review but so far I am impressed and think Junior will be able to use it. It is much like our current ipad communication program but switch accessible and also uses a more real sounding voice. I will post more about it once I have really had a chance to work with it and see what Junior thinks(we do not have the switch adapter so are just basing our view on eye gaze use).
This is certainly something that will be discussed at Junior's upcoming IEP as a needed addition for his educational progress.

Things have been a little crazy around here so I haven't been keeping up with this blog like I want. Please feel free to jump on over to Junior's regular blog if you want to see what's going on with our life.
Junior hasn't been feeling well and after some doctors visits it was determined that he isn't sick at all but it is a medication thing. We are now working on adjusting his seizure med(lowering his dose) to help him.

The ipad has been a life saver with him not feeling well. He keeps it close by to tell me what he needs and listen to stories or watch his shows. It also is great at doctors visits especially with the extension arm and clamp.

I have some pictures of activities Junior has been doing using his ipad but they are not yet on the computer. I will try to get them up tomorrow.