Santino was seen for session 49 of 50 with this SLP in the individual classroom and appreared calm upon transition between sessions. The daily, visual schedule was referenced and reviewed...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...Consideration has been given to expand upon Goal 5 to include modifier + object/action in the phrase "I want..." via picture exchange and/or verbalization...Santino requested "Gingerbread Man" via spontaneous verbalization. The familiar activity was presented and Santino participated in the predictable sequence to create a "Gingerbread Man" from Play-Doh. Spontaneous verbalization to request was noted throughout this 50-minute segment and included the following X 3 : "I want Gingerbread Man, I want Yellow Play-Doh, I want Orange Play-Doh, I want Red Play-Doh, I want Rolling Pin, I want Help, I want Eyes, I want Mouth, I want Buttons". At several intervals throughout the predictable activity sequence, Santino moved the large Gingerbread Man cookie cutter from left to right across his field of vision and appeared to examine it closely. In an attempt to extend and expand upon his chosen activity, this SLP referenced the characters, actions and predictable "Run! Run!..." sequence of "The Gingerbread Man" story. Comments and questions were presented such as, "Run! Run! Run!...Is he running from the Little Old Lady and the Little Old Man?...Bears?...Cow?..." Santino engaged in eye contact and placed the Gingerbread Man on the table and slid him across. Comments such as, "Oh! It looks like the Gingerbread Man is ice skating, now! Be careful, Gingerbread Man! Don't slip and fall!". At that point, Santino manipulated the Gingerbread Man to slip and land on his head. He giggled and appeared to reference this SLP for reaction. A back and forth sequence of what appeared to be Representational/Symbolic Play continued as he manipulated the Gingerbread Man to tumble/roll, dance and fly!!! Afterward, Santino assisted with clean-up upon verbal direction. It should be noted that Santino was provided with minimal physical assistance to remove and replace the Play-Doh lids. Moderate hand-over-hand assistance was provided to roll Play-Doh to size. The session came to a close in the typical manner with the "Good-Bye" Song and successful photo exchange on his daily, visual schedule in preparation for dismissal.
Santino verbalized "Momma" to complete the familiar phrase, "First, Miss Ingrid...Then, Momma"...Continue as planned with focus on use of communication book/photos across sessions/instructors and settings.