Visual Routine/Schedule

[lovemydior]

We have been recommended to do a visual schedule for Rhiana. I have an idea as to what I want to do but I want some imput to see if it would work or even if it is a good idea.
I was going to take a regular sheet of paper for every day of the week (labeled for the day) and laminate it. Then I was going to make a bunch of differnt icons (laminated) for different events, like babysitting, my work, church etc. For one day I would attch the right icons to the paper, probably with sticky tact, in order of events. The only thing I haven't really figured out is the days where there is not much planned.
So what do you think? Please let me know.

[jwright]

We've tried this with Abigail. I happened to have a clear vinyl? sheet - type that fits in a 3 ring binder and has pockets for coins or baseball cards. I then printed off the pictures I wanted to use and cut them to fit in the pockets. Abigail doesn't really pay much attention to it though but we're also in summer when things are a lot more laid back and relaxed.

Janell

[ChamomileFriend]

Is sticky tact like velcro? Did you mean a schedule kind of like this:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...L._AA1200_.jpg

Or a more visually specific pecs/boardmaker one like this:
http://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/577....178069873.jpg

The second schedule has some icons for days where there is not much planned, like "play" or "park" or "tv". There are pages and pages of pictures you can use here, but you have to scroll down a little and click each pecs page separately: http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm

Traditionally PECS are used for children on the autism spectrum, but other children benefit from using them also. If you pick the pictures you like best and laminate them, too, it will make it easy to rotate the daily schedule from week to week.

I hope Rhiana likes her new schedule!

[lovemydior]

Rhiana is not considered Austic but she is developmentally delay and has quite a few senory issues. We have started seeing a Behavioral specialist and she said it would help Rhiana transistion between events and hopefully prevent tanturms and meltdowns.
Thanks for the advice, I am going to take some time to look over the website for pictures. Hopefully I can get this up and going next week.

[jen1981]

We used them when I worked in pre-school for any child that had difficulty transitioning. We also used them as one-on-one aides with older children with autism. We had basically a daily calendar broken into time slots. Each one had a small piece of velcro on it. Then the cards with the activities had a picture and the word written on it, ie. a picture of food and the word "lunch". Every day we velcro'ed the cards to the schedule, and as each activity was completed the student would remove it and put it in a little basket that was their's. If they would start to get agitated or ask over and over about when something was to happen we would tell them "check your chart" and they would run over to look. It really gave them security because they always knew what was coming up, and taking off the card helped them realize the activity was finished and it was time to see what was next.

[momofweewerfs]

we use one for Jakob(PDD-NOS, possible ADHD, learning disabilities, and sensory issues). we use it for the school year, so i will be putting one together for him in the next few days. Our daughter Grayce also uses one, she has no 'issues' but like the routine of it. With Jakob we find it gives him more indpendence and he knows what he needs to do and whe n it get done. they also use one at school for him

[ChamomileFriend]

Did you get to try out a new schedule for Rhiana? I hope it is helping you both!