Santino was seen for session 40 of 41 with this SLP in the individual classroom and appeared pleasant and calm upon transition between sessions. The daily, visual schedule was referenced and reviewed and Santino verbalized, "Goody-bye, Mr. Marcus."...Goals for the session remained consistent and included the following...1. to engage in forming a relationship with Santino that includes regulation, and shared attention and interest 2. to enter into two-way, purposeful interactions with gestures and intentional communication 3. to determine highly motivating/favorable, cause and effect activities, so that Santino may develop a feeling of control and predict/anticipate what will happen next 4. to imitate predictable action sequences and communication patterns through cause and effect activities 5. to develop single-word requesting via eye-gaze, picture exchange and/or verbalization...This SLP joined Santino on the floor as he was already engaged in a Disney ABC Puzzle. Attempts to extend his chosen activity were met with some resistance, although permitted within a few minutes. The pictures associated with the letters chosen by Santino were referenced by this SLP then by Santino who verbalized as he added to the puzzle (i.e. "N" for.....Nest). Immediate echolalia was noted after comments by this SLP (i.e. "Blue Polka Dot Eggs in the Nest")...Santino was presented with 1 novel and 1 familiar activity.
He requested, "Pop! The Pig" via photo exchange then entered into two-way, purposeful interaction with gestures and intentional communication to participate in an adapted, predictable version of the game for 16 out of 16 opportunities over 2 consecutive trials. Santino requested Color + Object via photo exchange. He located color choice independent of direction in his communication book then added it to the "Sentence" Strip. Minimal verbal and physical cues/prompts were required for removal of the strip. Santino handed the strip to this SLP independent of direction and pointed with minimal physical assistance to each element on the strip (i.e. I - Want - Red - Hamburger.). Verbalization paired with communication intent was noted from time to time...Santino assisted with clean-up upon verbal direction. The session came to a close in the usual manner with the "Good-Bye" Song and successful photo exchange on his daily visual schedule given verbal and minimal physical cues. Santino verbalized, "Sharon"...Continue as planned with focus on intentional communication to request and initiate via social referencing paired with photo exchange and verbalization.