Wednesday 24 January 2018

Adam uses an iPad to communicate





Adam is 24 years old, likes playing on his X-box and creating the most detailed minecraft worlds. He loves special events, in particular Christmas and enjoys decorating his family home with all the festive cheer. Adam also has a learning disability and has recently been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. Adam communicates using some words and signs. He will also use the internet to help people know what he is talking about.
Since leaving college Adam has remained at home and became more withdrawn and reluctant to go out. Adam’s mother, Alison, is his main communication partner and carer and was becoming increasingly concerned that Adam was getting frustrated at not being able to communicate effectively with his family. He was also refusing to go to the dentist or attend hospital appointments.
Adam was referred to the Bexley Adult Learning Disabilities Team. He was seen by the Speech and Language Therapy Team and the option of using an iPad with communication apps was explored with him. Adam initially tried using a loan iPad and when this was proven to help him, he was referred to a specialist hub to secure a long term loan of the iPad with specific communication apps.
Adam really likes his iPad and he is able to programme the communication and story apps independently. Adam says: ‘I like it to help get people to understand what I’m trying to say’. Since having the iPad, Adam has started to leave his home and has used it when ordering food at McDonald’s and shopping in supermarkets. He has stayed over at his nan’s house without feeling anxious because he was better able to communicate with them using his iPad and could facetime his mother.
Together Lucy (ALD community nurse) and Yasmin (ALD speech and language therapist) supported Adam to receive necessary dental intervention by creating social stories (an approach used with people with autism) and programming vocabulary onto his iPad about visiting the dentist. This helped Adam know what was going to happen, helped to reduce his anxiety and enabled the treatment to take place.
Alison (Adam’s mother) says: ‘since Adam has had his iPad, it’s helped him so, so much with his frustration. He used to get so angry maybe having serious outbursts of screaming, crying and shouting, even punching himself in the face all because he couldn’t make us understand what he was trying to say.” Since having the iPad with the communication app, these behaviours have reduced significantly. ‘It really has helped us and him so much and I really wish he’d had this 10-15 years ago.’
iPads with different communication apps are being increasingly used to support people with limited communication skills and are seen as more mainstream. However, not everyone with a communication problem or with ASD will benefit from using an iPad and therefore careful assessment from a specialist Speech and Language Therapist is needed before this is recommended.
It has been very rewarding supporting Adam and his mother. Adam now has the tool to support his communication but he continues to need a lot more opportunities to participate in the community and with his peers.
Adam says: ‘Yasmin has helped me to communicate with others easier, as they didn’t understand me before. I still need to use it (my iPad) more in my daily living’.
Yasmin Al-Temimi –Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. Bexley ALD Team)Email: yasmin.altemimi@nhs.net



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