Fast ForWord Success Stories

Written by a London parent of a now-10-year-old boy with Autism who completed Fast ForWord Language and Language to Reading in August 2001

My child has severe Speech and Language difficulties with a diagnosis of Autism, and has now completed two Fast Forward programmes: Language and Language to Reading. Once he got used to settling down for 90 minutes after school and got into the routine of the programme, he really enjoyed it. Unlike other "therapy" type computer programmes, Fast Forward really did seem to individualize to the progress of the child. When things got a bit tough and my son became restless, the programme would change to something he could cope with and succeed in, which seemed to encourage him.

After he had completed the programme, his sequencing skills developed and his auditory memory improved. Previously, it was difficult for him to listen to a story and retain details from it. He could not answer questions about the story afterwards. With the Fast ForWord Language to Reading programme, he started to look at and listen more closely to the story. He began to understand more complex sentences.

He also picked up some interesting Americanisms such as: the girl is "mad" rather than “cross”. Otherwise there was "no problem"(oops!) with the American version. Most importantly, the benefits seem to have had long-term effects. And my son definitely missed it when we finished the programme.

Written by the parents of a 12-year-old boy from London with Autism. He completed Fast ForWord Language and Language to Reading in August 2002

Our little Daniel has become 12 years old, which doesn't seem possible. Daniel’s teachers at school have noticed great changes in Daniel. He is very responsive in class and more interactive with class activities - he joins in more, and there has been no bad behaviours for quite a long time. He seems more at ease with every aspect within school. His speech has become clearer, although they haven’t noticed changes in language yet. They are very impressed with what Daniel has achieved in such a short time.

We have noticed a lot of difference with his speech at home. It is clearer and we are also getting new language, which is very exciting for all of us. We are looking forward to even more progress as time goes on. We thank you and look forward to a better future for Daniel.

Written by the mother of a 9-year-old boy in Scotland who has Autism Spectrum Disorder. After 4 weeks of Fast ForWord, his mother wrote the following report:

When I asked the person who helps Peter in school for a few hours a week how he was doing, she said he is doing brilliantly. There have been big changes. He is much better at sitting at carpet time when the teacher talks for up to 40 minutes to the kids. Before the October holidays the teacher or the helper regularly had to direct his attention back but now he is much more attentive and needs very little prompting. He seems to be able to bring his own attention back quite quickly. He used to sit and poke people or play with books from the bookcase if he was near it, but not so anymore. When he is stuck now, he always asks; whereas before he would just sit and vegetate!

There have been huge improvements in the playground as well. He is now able to play very well with a group of children and needs no adult supervision to join in. Today I watched him at lunchtime go and join a group of boys and play various games for 30 minutes. When lining up at school to go in, he now goes and chats to other kids. The helper at Boy Scouts said there has also been a big improvement in his joining in. Also he is really enjoying going now, which he wasn't before.

His speech therapy session last week was fantastic. He was finishing off the assessment and scored very well into the normal range. Attention was excellent throughout.

At home he is very chatty and asking lots of questions as usual, but much more advanced. Usually about what certain phrases he has heard mean. He is not nearly as repetitive with his questions. I don't think he has been nearly as unresponsive when I call him either. He has hardly been on his trampoline and I have not been to Costco to buy paper. Jumping and drawing were his 2 great interests. He is much more sociable and always seems to be around rather than away on his own upstairs.

I take him to tennis lessons as well. This week he looked like he was away on another planet and the teacher was having a very hard time getting his attention. The week before had been much better. When I asked him why he hadn't been paying attention he told me he was thinking about the dream he had been having the night before. I woke him up for school during the middle of the dream and he was not pleased. This was the first time I can recall him saying he had dreamt, as he always used to say he never had dreams.

Last week he went Trick or Treating with his sister and a couple of her classmates and their younger siblings who are Peter's age. His sister said he was brilliant and very normal! My next-door neighbor asked me why Peter didn't go to her house. She hadn't recognized him in his costume and his behaviour was so normal!

So yes I think we can safely say there have been some very positive changes in Peter!!