As a parent, I often feel that I am drowning in the resources that are out there right now during our period of quarantine. As we get deeper into our quarantine situation, more and more resources are popping up to support our children. It’s a wonderful problem to have – but can be difficult to navigate!
Here are a few resources I’ve come across that support AAC users during this time:
Using Proloquo2Go to talk about the Coronavirus: .
Although this is written specifically for those using Proloquo, it has recommendations that can be used with any AAC user when talking about the virus and the current changes in place.
Smartbox includes a set of core vocabulary and printable pictures to give people language about the virus.
Coronavirus Social Story from the Illinois Autism Partnership:
This social story provides simple visuals that explain the virus and why schools are closed.
Carol Gray’s Story about the Pandemic
Here is another social story about the virus, in more respectful language for older children. It provides more detail with actual pictures for visuals. The first picture is of a large group of people together, which was actually fairly jarring to see. How did we so quickly adapt to being threatened by pictures of groups of people?
CNN & Sesame Street’s Town Hall Meeting:
On Saturday, April 25th, CNN and Sesame Street held a town hall meeting to address COVID-19 from a child’s perspective. This link will let you watch specific clips from the 90 minute program that may address your child’s specific questions. For my own, typically developing children, I found it helpful because even with easy access to their own words they still cannot articulate all of the questions floating around in their heads. These segments nicely ask and answer those questions.
