03 November 2010

Seek-and-Find Books



Where Is Waldo?, Where Are They, and Look and Find materials helped increase Miggy's concentration and attention span. These books encouraged memory skills and the use of logic. Pointing (the use of finger to point) was a big plus too because "pointing" is not natural in some children with autism.

He started using these books at age 5 (old enough to be careful not to tear the pages). Up to the present, he still finds these books interesting and entertaining.

* The mastery of pointing was a long and difficult process for Miggy. I always had to close his fist and pull out his index finger. His first pointing trial was waving his hand with all fingers aimed at an object or direction. Next trial (after a very long time) was better: the index finger and middle finger, though slightly bent, were somewhat pointed to the object. Finally, at age 4, he had mastered the correct way to do it.

Honestly, I never thought this day would come that he would say, "Look, mommy!" with his finger pointing to his object of interest. Now, these words I hear more than a dozen times each day. Moments, such as:
-Miggy proudly showing me that he could read titles of Tom and Gerry tales on Cartoon Network;
-that he could build structures from his Lego toys;
-that he saw a bird perched on the roof;
-that he saw a tv advertisement of a newly introduced Argentina deli burger or a toy at Toy Kingdom that he wanted me to buy: "Mommy, you buy.";
-that he saw an insect that he would like me to get rid off (to kill, actually, with my slipper: "Kill, mommy! Kill! Get your slipper!" accompanied with a scream at the top of his lungs).

* Note: He took this picture of his pointed finger.


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