How did Carly find a way to communicate?
I just watched a video about Carly, an adolescent who was identified as having autism at age 2. She was described as being lost in her own world, flailing her body, and unable to communicate. After early intervention involving 40 - 60 hours a week of intense therapy, she still could not speak. However her parents insisted they did not want to send her to a group home. Miraculously, she sat at a computer one day and began typing “hurt”, and “help”. This was her breakthrough moment. After she realized that communication gave her power over her environment, she found motivation to use the computer to express her thoughts. She can now have conversations with her parents, and they fell like they finally know their daughter. She explains that she sees herself as a normal child locked inside a body she cannot control.
Rob, I also was moved by this video. Like you said, between the 40-60 hours of intense therapy and other supports, they weren't even considering a group home option. I hope to never be in that same position, but I don't know if I would be able to make the same choice that they did - they are very strong people because of it. Technology seems to always have some sort of negative side to it, but this video gave me hope that technology can do more and effectively break communication barriers.
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