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remained at home and became more withdrawn and reluctant to go out.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’.
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