The talking machine

Coby has been extremely fortunate to be able to participate in a program at "Child Serve" to help with his occupation therapy and his speech therapy.
He has been attending the Child Serve center since being diagnosed with Autism.  It is a well organized center that contains all the necessary experts and equipment for his therapy needs.  Recently, Coby was given a "word" board.  This word board is used by his teacher also in his classroom at school.   We are all meeting with the Child Serve board and a few other team members from Coby's school on March 3.  They will be explaining the board to us and show us out it works.  We then will be able to take one home to have Coby use to communicate with us.

The thing is however, is that Coby has already MASTERED the word machine in just a few months.  Not just the beginning word machine but the adult word machine.  It is amazing to think what he will be able to tell us when we catch up to him!  The Child Serve specialist tell us that if and when we are able to have Coby's IQ tested, it will be beyond Genius.  Nathan has always said that he believes Coby has photographic memory.  I believe it also.
Coby walks into any room and stops first, scans the room with his eyes (like he is taking a mental picture) and then continues with whatever he is planning on doing.  He knows if you've moved anything out of its orginal spot.  Even something small.  He had all the electronics in the house figured out by the time he was 18 months. That is not an exaggeration.

Next week I will be going to the therapy session with Coby and his parents.  I will be video taping a portion of his session using the word board and then I will post a blog with the video session in the blog. 

Until then, be thankful for what you have and who you have to share it with.

News Broadcast of HOPE

I have included a link to the news story that I watched to begin this journey of hope for Coby.  This news broadcast was done here in West Des Moines and the Doctor practices right here close to where we live.  Amazing!http://www.whotv.com/videobeta/82365c6e-4bde-4d35-9a94-28a46946e282/News/Autism-Drug click on the link and a new box will pop up with the link.

Introduction to Coby

Coby was born a normal little darling with no signs of any type of learning or behavior issues at all. He grew his first year at a normal rate with all the landmarks of growth being met naturally.  It was just shortly after his first birthday we started to notice that there were little changes beginning in his personailty and sleeping habits.  The words that he was learning were begining to be lost by time he was 18 months.  Sleeping had become a non existant enity in the Robinson house hold.  I don't know how they made it through those first two or three years until he was diagnosed with moderate form of autism.

I want to be able to start a journal on his progress from this point in time.  He has been in therapy for several years, occupational therapy and speech.  He has been in a school setting for two years this is the beginning of his third year.  He has teachers and assists that have followed him from the beginning of his diagnosis .

I will be taking pictures and video of regular everyday tasks that Coby goes through regularly.  I wish to capture some of his OCD tendancies and his communication skills.  I want to be able to capture the emotional bonds that he is able to connect with several people.  Along with the interactions he has with his peers, ie brothers, sister, cousins, teachers, etc.

The reason I want to start this blog is because in March Coby will be going to meet with a therapist here in West Des Moines to see what level he is at and if at all possible to get him into see the up and coming Dr. V