Kaylie, how hard was it for you to start RPM?

Looking back, starting RPM was somewhat of a massive undertaking.  First long year, we didn't make a lot of progress.  It took Soma's help hearing our struggles to finally offer up intuitive advice. 

It was my dream to be able to communicate.  After meeting Soma for the first time I really thought there might be hope finally.  Soma was so patient.  She believed in me right away.  Mom and Dad were somewhat sorry they hadn't realized learning was such a path to illustrating possibilities they had thought out of my capability.  After we saw Soma, they were determined.  RPM earned their trust and they were going to have success.  It was hard at first.  Mom really was busy with my baby sister and didn't have the time to work with me all the time.  Dad tried, but he was not very patient. 

Pointing to the letter board was really hard.  My careful pointing didn't go the way I planned.  Great pointing happened with Soma, but not with my parents.  The problem was hard to figure out.  Mom learned to put rolled pieces of tape on each letter on the letter board to increase the feedback when I touched the board.  It really made it easier for me to focus on what letter I was touching.  Pointing on the letter board became so much easier.  I decided I wanted to try typing on a keyboard.  Had an easy time transitioning.  Like using the keyboard. 

Learning to communicate is the best thing I've ever done.  Like my making people think that more is possible for their loved ones.  It's not often that great opportunities teach us so many important lessons.

 

Having autism can also be lovely sometimes.  My liked life more and more is my good grades, my blog and my time spent with my family. 

People make the hard choice to meet good wants of their loved autistic children.  I have seen many loving parents who don't believe their loved children are capable of more than PECS and another form of communication path called Proloquo.  You must need a lot of juice and snacks.  Picking Proloquo to use for communicating is not the needed solution that many parents and teachers think.  Proloquo uses pictures downloaded to the iPad, and the theory is based on the Picture Exchange Communication System or PECS. 

The problem with placing your hopes for communication in Proloquo is that pointing to pictures on an iPad isn't really communication. I couldn't communicate my thoughts the liked way I can now by typing.  Learning to point to a letter board leaning towards a miracle for me.  I could finally talk to my family the way I always dreamed.  More kids need to experience this life changing moment! 

I'm trying hard to offer up reasons for looking at RPM as an option.  Learning touches our brains and opens up pathways for communication.  Please earn your loved ones gratitude and go to Austin and meet Soma.  You won't regret it. 

Lately my life has been so exciting!  My news story airs next week.  Is everyone going to watch?

(Kaylie's news story is supposed to air on Wednesday, March 2nd on WGRZ Channel 2 in Buffalo sometime between 6-7am.  The story should be posted on their website, wgrz.com and Facebook/Twitter by 8 am the morning it airs. - Lisa)

For more information on RPM, visit HALO's website at www.halo-soma.org

Autism is not a walk in the park.  My life comes with many challenges.  People look at me like I'm really strange.  Please look past my exterior and get to know how I am inside.  My personality is much like loving people around the world.  My family offers me much longed for love and support, but I'm always longing for more.  I'm seeking to make another connection with autistics like myself.  Only they can understand. 

People want to know if life can get like mine.  They need to open their minds to amazing possibilities.  Don't each one of us have a purpose in this world?  My purpose is to make as much noise about RPM as possible.  Looking happily to make a difference.  Most of the time I'm ill-equipped.  Like my book might never lay it all out for loved family members of other autistics who are unable to communicate. 

My dream is to meet the President and get him on board with making RPM the make talking unimportant therapy used in our schools.  Need him to learn doing RPM can save so many kids from living a life led mostly by people made to think they are stupid.  Learning will really motivate. 

Really think our money drive treats the price of therapy as the indicator of success.  Having understanding of what autistics need in order to be able to communicate like long unheard members of this society.  We need people to understand that money isn't what's important.  Our lives is what's important.  Pointing to letters on a letter board or keyboard allows us to communicate way better than using pictures.  There is no picture that can express what I'm thinking.  All I can communicate is "I want juice."

People might think autism leans toward meaning that we lack intelligence.  I'm actually probably smarter than most pretty girls my age.  Learning makes me happy.  Learning gave liked purpose to my previously pointless life.  Now pretty much all my perfect scores on tests is making my teachers and classmates see my potential. 

Autistics might behave strangely sometimes.  My biggest thing people might notice is how my really touchy temper can erupt into what people would see as uncontrollable screaming.  Presuming my lack of self control longs to hear people make negative comments would mean I'm doing it on purpose.  When I'm getting upset about something I can't control how I'm reacting.  It's like this monster inside of me uses my body for its pleasure.  I'm helpless.  Learning your triggers is important.  I have some things that can set me off.  One person really lately helps me.  Patience can overcome.  I'm really grateful that my mom is my biggest supporter.  Mom has patience galore.  Mr. B at school is also a meaningful help to me.  We autistics prefer people who are calming.

People treat me like part stupid, part monster.  Using my iPad to communicate has helped a lot of people to see me as someone worth listening to.  There are still people in my life that doubt that I'm really typing my thoughts and not being helped to say these words.  You likely will be sorry someday when I'm a famous autistic advocate who types on my own.  Reading my blog means nothing if you don't believe I wrote it.  My mom got the news to do a story on me.  It will help convince many, because they filmed my ability to type.