Communication Devices

Wow! Today was so exciting! Abby and I went to check out a communication device called a Tobii C eye.  I have been wanting to see what Abby can do with one since we saw the device at the IRSF conference in May.  It was pretty amazing.  Since Abby doesn't have hand function and doesn't speak, she needs a device that can track her eye gaze to communicate.  Essentially, her eyes are the mouse.  When she looks at something for a determined amount of time (less than a second for Abby), the item/picture/symbol that she is looking at is selected.  The possibilities are endless with this type of technology.  After calibrating it, Abby played a few simple games and did great.  She made selections SO much easier with her eye gaze than with her hands.  She didn't have to work so hard to make a selection.  Getting her hands to hit a selection is SO difficult for her.

There are a couple different companies that make eye gaze devices, so we will have to check the others out as well.  We are now on the waiting list for a trial (which is about 3-4 months long).  We need to get the funding from insurance or Medicaid before the trial starts, so that will keep me busy until then.  This was the motivation I needed to get my appeal letter in the mail for the insurance.  I am still waiting for the letter telling us if Abby will get the Michelle P Waiver and Medicaid.  One of them will pay for it, one way or another.    

I am very excited for what a device like this could do for Abby.  I can't wait to have one in our house to see how she responds to it.  It could be life changing for all of us.  It's going to be a long process to get the right device.  I know some of you have been through this before, so I would love any advice you can give!