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We got a call today that Cole had a spot November 7, 2016!
We are raising money to send Cole to Island Dolphin Care for intensive personalized therapy including speech, occupational and physical therapy with certified therapist and dolphins. First we would like to thank our family, friends and everyone that "liked", shared and donated to him going in March. The number one goal was for Cole to gain better meaningful communication. He did. He started to use his iPad's picture folder to point to pictures of food, movies and places he wants to go. This is a great improvement and has improved his quality of life. Because Cole can not load his own pictures, his communication is very limited by us loading pictures. He is very willing to communicate now so timing is perfect for another session.
History:
Cole is our 15 year old boy with profound non-verbal autism. He was typically developing until 4 then he started to regress and stopped speaking at 5. He lost his ability to dress, play, brush his teeth, eat w utensils,regulate his behavior. It was so painful to experience with him. Such a huge loss then and for all of his future. We did not know how much of him would be lost. It has been a long journey for him and us. So many Doctors and therapies. You never know if your doing the right thing. Cole has received speech and occupational therapy since 4. He goes to public school and then he has 6 hours of therapy every week. He also plays soccer with other special needs children.
So, how does it work. Having autism is particularly challenging when trying to motivate, the inner drive, the competition with others is not present. Cole used to just put his head on his desk and close his eyes. What do you do with that! Dolphins! Cole LOVES sea animals. Watching video's touching playing. And he LOVES water! The therapist use the Dolphins for motivators. It's magical. He has to ask for which game to play, bubbles jumping, dancing. The therapist that he will be working with individualize a treatment plan and adapt it everyday. He will work in a classroom setting on communicating with his iPad and making choices for different activities like painting . Painting takes a lot of hand eye coordination, tracking of the brush to cover all areas, he has to communicate what colors he wants, which animal he wants to paint.
Then he moves to the water. The Dolphins choose if they want to work, if not they do not have to. Cole greets the Dolphins and enters the water with his therapist. He then has to choose what he wants to do, blow bubbles, kisses, jumping, dancing, ride the fins... He wants their company to stare into their eyes it's calming to him. It motivates him and the effects are compounded by the day.
Last time it was like a fire that gave him lite and gave him power to see he can manipulate his environment and he wants to.
Please donate if you can or "like" and share to spread the word.
Thank You
http://www.islanddolphincare.org/
We are raising money to send Cole to Island Dolphin Care for intensive personalized therapy including speech, occupational and physical therapy with certified therapist and dolphins. First we would like to thank our family, friends and everyone that "liked", shared and donated to him going in March. The number one goal was for Cole to gain better meaningful communication. He did. He started to use his iPad's picture folder to point to pictures of food, movies and places he wants to go. This is a great improvement and has improved his quality of life. Because Cole can not load his own pictures, his communication is very limited by us loading pictures. He is very willing to communicate now so timing is perfect for another session.
History:
Cole is our 15 year old boy with profound non-verbal autism. He was typically developing until 4 then he started to regress and stopped speaking at 5. He lost his ability to dress, play, brush his teeth, eat w utensils,regulate his behavior. It was so painful to experience with him. Such a huge loss then and for all of his future. We did not know how much of him would be lost. It has been a long journey for him and us. So many Doctors and therapies. You never know if your doing the right thing. Cole has received speech and occupational therapy since 4. He goes to public school and then he has 6 hours of therapy every week. He also plays soccer with other special needs children.
So, how does it work. Having autism is particularly challenging when trying to motivate, the inner drive, the competition with others is not present. Cole used to just put his head on his desk and close his eyes. What do you do with that! Dolphins! Cole LOVES sea animals. Watching video's touching playing. And he LOVES water! The therapist use the Dolphins for motivators. It's magical. He has to ask for which game to play, bubbles jumping, dancing. The therapist that he will be working with individualize a treatment plan and adapt it everyday. He will work in a classroom setting on communicating with his iPad and making choices for different activities like painting . Painting takes a lot of hand eye coordination, tracking of the brush to cover all areas, he has to communicate what colors he wants, which animal he wants to paint.
Then he moves to the water. The Dolphins choose if they want to work, if not they do not have to. Cole greets the Dolphins and enters the water with his therapist. He then has to choose what he wants to do, blow bubbles, kisses, jumping, dancing, ride the fins... He wants their company to stare into their eyes it's calming to him. It motivates him and the effects are compounded by the day.
Last time it was like a fire that gave him lite and gave him power to see he can manipulate his environment and he wants to.
Please donate if you can or "like" and share to spread the word.
Thank You
http://www.islanddolphincare.org/