| I met Tammy when I was substitute teaching. Tammy | | | | Tammy was in my class the following year and |
| was twelve years old, nonverbal, without any viable | | | | remained there for several more. Initially, I sat with her |
| communication system; she did not talk, sign, select, or | | | | quietly when I could, matching her rhythm, as I mirrored |
| point to desired pictures or objects and appeared | | | | her rocking back and forth. Soon she stopped |
| unable to discriminate. Tammy refused to participate in | | | | covering her eyes, smiled up at me incessantly, and |
| activities. She resisted assistance. She was angry, shut | | | | became much more compliant and reachable. Now, |
| down. Tammy had been in the school for years and | | | | she always wanted to be at my side, so I took the |
| her progress was abysmal. Staffers reported that | | | | opportunity to walk up hills and on uneven terrain which |
| they had never heard Tammy talk; however, they told | | | | forced her to open her eyes and self correct her stiff |
| me her mother reported that she talked at home on | | | | awkward gait by alternating her arms and legs to |
| occasion. | | | | keep her balance. |
| Tammy was extremely stubborn--stiff as a | | | | Tammy did not improve as fully as I hoped she might |
| board--eyes closed with hands tightly gripped over | | | | based on my initial naive encounter; however, |
| them. Since she was unable to see where she was | | | | improvement did occur and more importantly, although |
| going, staffers led her rigid body off the bus and up the | | | | still a girl of extremes, she seemed happy. At times, |
| stairs to the third floor classroom. Hunched over, she | | | | she would even talk a little, often mimicking something I |
| twisted her fingers in a circular pattern over her shirt or | | | | said. On rare occasions--usually when she was |
| sweater as she rhythmically rocked back and forth, | | | | upset--she would speak in full sentences, only to fall |
| blocking out the world and everyone in it. Oppositional, | | | | silent again. Tammy remained resistant to activities she |
| defiant, and negative--these were words I heard used | | | | had refused to do for so many years, but if I moved |
| to describe her extreme behavior. | | | | on to something new, she showed interest and a |
| On the day we met, she had just completed doing her | | | | willingness to make positive attempts. |
| toileting, tooth-brushing and hand washing routine with | | | | Lessons Tammy taught me: |
| hand-over-hand assistance from a staffer, Her | | | | Some nonverbal people have contextually and |
| immobile noncompliant body made motoring near | | | | semantically intact language ability that they cannot |
| impossible. As she shuffled back to her chair, hands | | | | access at will. |
| covering her eyes, she noticed that I was sitting in her | | | | A severely shut down child can be opened up. Lessen |
| chair. Outraged, her eyes filled with tears as she cried, | | | | your demands. (I.e. teach the skill to another child who |
| "Mary Ann, you are sitting in my chair!" The staffers | | | | is not as shut down, as the shut down child sits nearby. |
| were shocked, as they had never heard her utter a | | | | Engage. (I.e. mirror or match my movements and |
| word in the classroom before. Later in the day, as I | | | | self-stimulatory behavior. You may find that it helps |
| was reading a book about animals to the class and | | | | you understand and adapt to the rhythm of the |
| showing them the pictures, a more subdued Tammy | | | | child).Establish relationship. (I.e. create cause and effect |
| spoke again. "Let me see that!" she uttered as she | | | | interaction; games such as peek-boo. Try to get the |
| attempted to reach for the book. | | | | child to smile. |
| Amazed and confused, I went home that night and | | | | Create situations that force the child to pay attention. |
| could not stop thinking about it. Although it was our first | | | | (I.e. walking on uneven terrain such as a path through |
| meeting, I was hooked. Did I inadvertently serve as a | | | | the woods naturally forces attending behavior.) |
| catalyst? Was it just a coincidence that she spoke? I | | | | If an oppositional defiant child refuses to learn certain |
| decided I wanted to work with children with autism. I | | | | skills, move on. You can revisit the skills once you have |
| wanted to be surrounded by miracles. I was hoping | | | | formed a relationship and he/she is more compliant |
| Tammy would be my first one. | | | | and willing to please. |