Today we introduced matching 3-D objects to Tony. The therapist used a box with a rubber lizard in it. Then the therapist gave Tony the 2nd lizard and said, “put with same”. Then, with hand-over-hand, Tony placed the lizard into the box with the other lizard. We did this a couple of times before the therapist said “put with same”, handed Tony the lizard, then he put the lizard into the box by himself. He did this a couple of times by himself. We then switched to plastic dinosaurs and Tony did it again (first with hand-over-hand and then just w/verbal prompts).
Tony also played with his bowling ball and pins. The therapist lined up the pins then rolled the ball many times to the pins while saying, “roll it”. Then Tony attempted to roll the ball. If he missed the pins then he just knocked them over with his hand and said “yea” while clapping. The therapist used hand-over-hand, repeated “roll it” and got him to roll the ball to the pins and knock them over. Then he did it later on his own. Despite his crayon fixation (he was lining and re-lining them while we were doing this) Tony still paid attention to the activity.
With the crayons the therapist took Tony’s index finger and touched them firmly while counting to ten. The therapist also lined the crayons up with Tony in different directions and not according to color while counting to keep him from fixating. We transitioned into counting and stacking blocks of various colors, shapes, sizes. Tony of course loves the counting so we used this to complete the stacking and lining.
Later Tony played with foam alphabet letters. His mom and the therapist noticed that he was making sounds that sounded like the alphabet while he was playing with them so the therapist started singing the alphabet song. Then Tony actually picked up where the therapist left off with the alphabet. The letters weren’t pronounced clearly but you could definitely tell that he was saying them. So the therapist kept singing the song and pointing to the letters simultaneously.
Tony started looking at his Cookie Monster book so the therapist took his finger and had him touch the objects on the pages while saying them aloud to Tony (and doing this very quickly as OT suggested).
When Tony had lunch/drink the therapist showed him the chips pic and gave him chips while saying the word. This was done with his food and his cup too.
Tony jumped some with therapist on the floor while mouthing “jump” and holding the therapist’s hand. But unfortunately Tony (poor guy) has an injury on his thigh so he was uncomfortable and limping around like an old man. He was also really tired so the combination finally got to him and he just cried and cried until his mom put him down for a nap. Tony re-arranged his toys so that he could prop his swollen leg up on them! Then he went to sleep. Today was an okay day considering Tony’s condition/mood.