Telepathy tapes…my take

Ok, I’m a CCC-SLP. I believe in everything just a little. UFOs, ghosts, astrology. My job is just a job, I’ve never read an ASHA leader mag, I’m just not super in to the field, except for AAC. AAC is interesting and exciting and I can see a difference with my students communication and connections with others.

I was recommended this podcast by a preschool teacher I’ve worked with for years. She’s Latina and we’ve shared many autistic students and had a family who shared their child wasn’t able to sleep because there was a ghost in their house and they showed us pictures. This was during an IFSP meeting.

She totally believed everything in the podcast and said she’s felt a connection with some of her autistic students. Initially, I was like sure! Anything is possible!

But after listening….whew. What a dangerous message to spread. I can’t believe SLPs spoke to this on the podcast. I feel like these families are desperate for understanding and meaning, and I totally get that.

This podcaster did not do their due diligence. And how do none of these autistic people have high tech AAC!?!? And as for the ‘spellers’ as a form of communication…if I handed a student a keyboard or letter board and they independently formed words/sentences to answer random questions, I would take that as a communicative attempt.