Santino laid out the items of his lunch in accordance with directives. I used sequencer words such as 'first' and 'next' to help him understand the order specificed, and I demonstrated the first time to clarify expectations. Santino was prompted to expand his verbal language repertoire and add 'please' and 'thank you' to his requests. He was cooperative although a bit more echolalic today. Santino ate all of his pureed lunch and drank water from a cup. He also requested 2 packages of Fruit Loops cereal as a snack during our time together.
Santino assembled the items from his lunch bag onto the table in accordance with directives. He identified the items, needing verbal prompts to facilitate his retrieval of the word 'knife.' Santino consumed his pureed lunch with gusto. He had some difficulty understanding positional cues regarding re-placement of his thermos on the table but was assisted by demonstration. Santino has been better able to communicate requests, and prompts have been faded with increased evidence of performance gains.
Santino was queried about food utensils and items he uses at mealtimes. He answered questions with 80% accuracy over 5 opportunities, or trials, afforded him. Santino's performance improved when he was afforded physical and verbal prompts to focus his attention. He ate the entirety of the contents of his thermos, a portion of pureed potatoes, his favorite meal. He drank water from a cup using one hand, and responded to directives to use a napkin when necessary. When Santino finished his meal, he washed his hands at the sink, requiring minimal prompts and demonstration to model how to thoroughly and effectively rub his hands with soap and then dry them thoroughly with a towel. However, Santino knew the steps needed to perform this self-care task, and he obtained soap and towels from their respective dispensers effectively independent of physical prompts. Although Santino did not eat a Kind bar that was offered to him, he did put it to his mouth when prompted. This suggests improvement in his tolerance of new foods and a broader acceptance of different textures and experiences.
Santino was asked to identify various utensils prior to eating his pureed lunch. He requested a spoon when given a choice of options and finished his food very fast. I helped him pace a bit today by affording him assistance using hand-over-hand physical prompts and verbal reminders. Santino drank water from his bottle, a cup, and the water fountain. He ate cereal for his snack and assisted in cleaning up the table following his meal.
