We had a lot of frustrating news last week. But we had some really good news too.
I have been wanting to ask one of Anna Grace’s therapists if her expressive language was up to age level and if her receptive language (the things she understands) were pretty close to age level. But I was a little afraid to ask the question. You have to be ready for such things. The reality is that you could have an elevated idea of where your child is and asking such questions could send you into a tailspin.
So I’ve wanted to ask the questions, but I kept stalling.
Until Friday.
I learned that Anna Grace’s expressive language is at age level and her receptive language is as well. The apraxia seems to be affecting her articulation (which interferes with how well you can understand what she says) and her language processing (getting her brain to decode messages). The thing that is unique with Anna Grace is that kids just seem to figure out language concepts as they grow. Anna Grace has normal intelligence but because of the way the apraxia affects her brain’s ability to decode and process language, Anna Grace often doesn’t just "pick up" a language concept. She has to be taught.
A good example of this is "I" and "you". Kids always reverse these pronouns when they are first learning to use them but then they get it figured out. Anna Grace is still stuck on this. Lately we’re playing "hardball". When she walks up to me and says (for example) "You want water?" (meaning I want water) I do nothing. Sometimes I have to cue her by saying "I" but she’s starting to figure it out. So, this is an area we’ve been having to directly teach to her for quite some time and now we’ve moved to not accepting a request if the pronoun is reversed.
One reason to go ahead and push it is that she uses this pronoun reversal with other kids. So when she says to them "you want water" they think she’s offering water and then doesn’t give them any. Anna Grace thinks she’s asking for water and the kid is ignoring her. Tensions rise and although situations like this have never resulted in a smackdown…. I think it could happen at any moment.
Anyway, this is just one example of where we have to intervene and just teach and reinforce a language concept that just kind of naturally comes to another child.
After my little conversation with the speech therapist I was greatly encouraged. Yes, we still have many years of speech therapy ahead but we’re moving closer and closer to getting a new label. A better label.
Apraxia: Resolved.
Wanna hear Anna Grace? I have been wanting to record her and put her on the Talking Page (link on side bar) which has recordings of kids at various stages of apraxia. Anyway, we never had the camera ready, couldn’t get the camera to work, the kid would stop talking, etc etc etc. Well, yesterday everything came together. I haven’t linked it to the Talking Page yet but I did get it uploaded to You Tube. (Warning… it’s 9 minutes long).
Click here to see and listen to Anna Grace.
Toodles!
Kris, she is doing well and it is a great video.
There was a little boy at the speech office the other day–when I had Cam evaluated–and he was much more difficult to understand.
Do the speech teachers recommend an errorless learning approach for AG? I always wonder if it is helpful to let them make mistakes…
She’s doing so great!!! The difference from that video and when we saw you guys a year ago is amazing!
I think she sounds great! I was able to understand everything she said! Besides she’s so cute and beautiful it’s hard not to be mesmerized
wow. you have come a long way baby! way to go anna grace! you know, it took shannon until half way through kindergarden to get her d’s and g’s straight. she kept calling ducks – – – gucks! it cracked me up. and sister was always stister for the longest time. but she eventually got it figured out.
what a wonderful video! Your hard work is paying off. I don’t know.. I think back to my daughter when she was 5 to 6 you could barely understand her (she had speech from K to 3rd), yet she is 94 in a class of 496 in highschool and no problem in speech. How old is your daughter? She is very clear and I was watching her in the video I smiled seeing her wanting to hold her own book not mom. I bet she is going to be very advanced in school. Like a past teacher said to me, ‘They all open their gifts at different times’ was their times kids around her didn’t understand her? sure… was there times she felt a little different? sure… but even that little pressure made her work harder and in the end she is a very smart and popular person in her classes. (sometimes talking too much 😉