Playing Through Touch (Tickle Monster)
This continues to be a favorite, fun especially for Orion and the tickler! (Originally posted on "A Mom's Musings', April 24, 2016) This video is about playing through touch and using anticipatio...
Internet Explorer is no longer a supported browser for the Communication Matrix so features may be missing. Please switch to a different browser, such as Firefox or Chrome.
Collection A Mom's Musings on Communication with DeafBlind Children
Date Created: 8/24/2016
Posts: 9
A collection from Heather Withrow. The theme is communication, play and information through the sense of touch, as taught by the youngest family member, Orion, who is DeafBlind.
My name is Heather "Hex" Withrow, I'm a Deaf artist, tinkerer, track & field coach, blogger, wife, DeafBlind learning topics nerd, FaceBook addict mom of three kids (in order from oldest to youngest): a Deaf son (11), a hearing daughter (10), and a DeafBlind son, Orion (6). I've seen my share of IEPs and feverently celebrate little accomplishments! My blog, "A Mom's Musings", is at http://hexwit.blogspot.com and I'm on Facebook as "A Mom's Musings: Orion the Kid". (Profile picture description: A white-haired DeafBlind 6 year-old boy sits on his Deaf mom’s lap, both are touching a green apple. Mom is sitting on the grass with legs straight. A fence is slightly visible in the background behind lush hydrangeas adorned with vividly blue blossoms. Photo credit: Hildy Lightfoot, a.k.a. Grandma.)
Not only does playing via touch flavor your and your child's life with joy, they also become curious and interactive based on their positive experiences with their sense of touch. How do I know? My DeafBlind son, Orion, showed me.
-
1
-
5415
Conversations can precede words.
Father and Son Enjoy a Finger-Tapping Conversation
Check out this precious conversation without words that took place two Decembers ago. Turn taking is a communication skill. Not only that, they truly connected with one another and enjoyed it. Vocabul...
-
6
-
1888
To love and be loved... without words.
Love Doesn't Need Words
I wanted to share this insightful and rich post a friend, Shannon McLennan, wrote on Facebook. Her daughter, Oliana, has severe bilateral microphthalmia (what my son Orion has, too) and autism. I lo...
-
1
-
2342
Empower our DeafBlind children by saying good riddance to the Good Fairy! You can have too much of a good thing.
Your Flyswatter vs. The Good Fairy
What is that? This is an image of a Good Fairy put right in its place, under a flyswatter. Let's talk about why we can’t have them fluttering around. (Artwork of the flattened fairies are at the bo...
-
2
-
2474
This mom appreciates the perspective gained from using the Communication Matrix.
Mommy Loves the Communication Matrix
As a parent, I believe the Communication Matrix is a great set of lens for us to look through at our children. It helps us recognize and explain to our community about our children’s ‘voices’ or ‘tou...
-
2
-
1845
This post leads to a video where I entice my DeafBlind 5 year-old son Orion to feel my signs.
Video: Talking and Eating (with Orion)
For the last day of this memorable month of December guest moderating in the Communication Matrix Community, I want to share a gem of a moment with Orion I was able to get on video where I "tempted" a...
-
5
-
1889
We need to always respect our children's hands.
Co-signing: Whose Action Is It Anyway?
Note: I’m speaking from my experience and observations as a mother of a DeafBlind child who is physically able to use his hands and as a Deaf person who loves using her hands for communication. I stil...
-
1
-
4816
We used to wonder how Orion would get from where he was as a baby, with fists and Moro reflexes, all the way to being a tactile-signing DeafBlind adult.
Finding the Trail to Tactile Sign Language
Also posted on "A Mom's Musings", 9/2/2016 When Orion was a baby, Thomas and I wondered how he would get from where he was as a baby, with fists and Moro reflexes, all the way to a tactile-signin...
-
1
-
4005
Touch: Accessible, yet natural feeling, interaction and information for my DeafBlind son Orion.
Pearls Of Touch
Originally posted March 2017 at "A Mom's Musings", www.OrionTheKid.com My muses for this are from two key sources: my DeafBlind, ProTactile-using (and PT inspiring) friends Hayley Broadway and Sa...
-
0
-
865
GIVE
The Matrix is FREE for everyone. Help us maintain and improve it with a tax deductible gift.
© 2025 Charity Rowland, Ph.D.
Site by State33 and Smith & Connors
Try the Matrix
Please select a statement below that describes the type of matrix administration that you would like to begin.
Please wait while we process the matrix ...
You are about to TRY the Matrix Assessment tool.
Your information will not be saved unless you register. You may register for free at anytime throughout the tryout by clicking the orange button bottom right.
Your information is private.
The information you enter in the assessment is completely secure and cannot be identified. When you use this free service, we ask you to provide some very basic information about the individual you are assessing (gender, age, ethnic background, country of residence, disability and specific impairments) and your relationship to that person. However, we have no way of indentifying who has used this service.
Teachers:
Many teachers require their college students in communication disorders or child development classes to complete a Communication Matrix online. Please have your students use the Test Drive site for this purpose. You may ask them to print out the Profile and Communication Skills List as proof of their work.
Statement A
My child doesn't seem to have real control over his body yet.
The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
Statement B
My child has control over her own behaviors, but she doesn't use them to try to communicate to me.
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
Statement C
My child clearly tries to communicate his needs to me through gestures, sounds or language.
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
- Gestures such as pointing, shaking his head, tugging at my arm or looking back and forth between me and what he wants
- Sounds such as squealing to show you he wants something or fussing when he doesn't want something
- Language or symbolic forms of communication such as speech, written words, Braille, picture symbols, 3-dimensional symbols or sign language
Does this statement describe your child?
How to score your child
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
Mastered
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of di erent contexts, and with di erent people
Emerging
– Does this inconsistently
–
Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Tips on Communication Devices
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
