TapToTalk Saves Autistic, Diabetic Boy by Giving Him a Voice

David is 20, autistic, diabetic and non-verbal. His mom, Heather Houston, wrote this a few months ago:

"I am a happy user of TapToTalk, but today it made miracles happen. For the first time, my 20-year-old, non-verbal son, David, used the customized program to touch the red Help icon and ask for his diabetes testing kit. He was very high and needed immediate medical attention. His insulin apparently was bad and not working. We wouldn't have known he was in trouble till his next testing time an hour away...or he began vomiting."

Recently, Heather posted this update:

"His stimmimg and pinching himself and others once viewed as 'behaviors' are significantly reduced with the ability to 'speak' when in medical distress. The behaviors were medical symptoms of high/low blood glucose. David can now (use TapToTalk to) ask for juice to raise his blood glucose or his testing kit to check and treat high blood glucose. Instead of a behavior plan, his teachers now know he needs medical help! A high risk of seizure or even death was our daily reality because his autism prevents him from tolerating wearing a pump. Thank you for the peace of mind TapToTalk has brought to his life and ours."

And more: "TapToTalk has saved my son's life twice by giving him a voice. I will forever be thankful!"

Heather Houston has become so skilled at using TapToTalk Designer, she has become a TapToTalk Service Provider:

Houston h.a.n.d.s.
Autism and Apraxia of Speech communication assistance. TapToTalk software installation, setup, consultation. Guidance for Assistive Technology Implementation. In School, in your Home, and via email. Contact Heather Houston, Yuba City, CA, 530-315-1921, Mahouston69@me.com

Marines Help 17-Year-Old Communicate

This just in from the May/June issue of Semper Fi, the magazine of the Marine Corp. League:

"Spring Hill, Florida Detachment 708 recently donated a tablet to Ryan Hensley, 17, so he could access a TapToTalk application. Ryan experiences difficulty in learning and communicating due to a rare genetic condition. Ryan suffers from profound stuttering that worsens as he ages. Thanks to the tablet, he can clearly communicate with others."

Our thanks to Ryan's speech therapist Leslie Gooch of Can Do Kids Therapy for bringing this article to our attention.

Our congratulations to Cmdt. Marion Kelley and all the great marines of Detachment 708.

And to Ryan, our wishes for a great future.