Will's Apraxia

March 15, 2013

Many of you know either from our New Years Letter or by speaking with us that Will has a delay of Speech.  I first became concerned towards the end of the summer when he was about 14 months old. I know that children develop at their own pace, but he was not saying words like, uh-oh, no, Dada…though he said /mama/ it seemed more like babbling syllables and not; per say calling ‘me’ Mama!  Though, many told me to count it as his first word at that time.

A few months went by…while teaching the toddler class at Trinity Baptist Weekday Preschool, his lack of speech began to become more evident. I knew something was not right. When Will was almost 17 months old I went India for a mission trip in October. One of my team members, a speech therapist, advised me to go ahead and get BabyNet (a program in SC through First Steps to provided Early Intervention) to evaluate him. Again, many would tell me that “my child didn’t talk until after 2” or “he’ll just start saying sentences”, but I had to follow my instincts.

I submitted our paper work Friday morning, November 9, 2012 and received a call that afternoon to set up an appointment. Our first evaluation was set for Friday, November 30 at 9am. During Will’s 18 month well-check up, Monday, November 26, I told his doctor that he was being evaluated for his speech. Though he didn’t seem that concerned; he supported my intuitive.

Will’s first evaluator, Lisa, was impressed with his receptive knowledge, but did say that he qualified for a second evaluation base on his lack of expressive language.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012 – We meet with, Frances, for his second evaluation.  After interviewing me and observing Will she was pretty sure he’d qualify.  She called two days later to tell me that he did qualify for BabyNet to provide services until he was 3 years old and for us to pick an agency. She said that he qualified for expressive language and social (since it’s related to language).  I guess those child development classes in college did help. 

After we hung up I called a few agencies…left many messages.  I talked to one the first time I called, Bright Start, and had one call me back the next week. I prayed about it but no clarity…. That was the weekend Will ended up with the Flu and Ear Infection.

Then while we had Christmas in Auburn, he began to say Mama more meaningfully towards me.

After Christmas, Frances called and asked if we had chosen an agency to serve our family with Will’s delay. I chose Bright Start; because they answered the first time I called and compared to the other I had more of a peace with them. God is Good because he blessed us with a wonderful Early Interventionist (EI), Brantley.

Brantley’s, initial visit was for paper work, but she also got to meet Will before their first session 2 days later.  She’s basically working with him through play. And Yes, my degree is in Child Development and I already do some of what she does, but I have learned a lot through her and also we all know that our children respond differently (sometimes better) with others. A bonus is that she records his progress so I’ll have written documentation.

A friend from church recommended a speech therapist that works with her grandson, Melanie, for Will; though she didn’t have any openings, her assistant Tonya did.  Again God is Good.  Melanie did his initial evaluation on January 29, 2013. Both are Christian women and are raising boys.  She was able to give me a name for Will’s speech delay, which I kinda felt relieved. She said that he has Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Here is another great website about Apraxia: Apraxia Kids

To be able to know the WHY is great; even if we don’t know the HOW!

February 13, 2013 – First Speech Therapy (ST) session with Tonya, who also has 2 boys (teenagers).  She can definitely relate with me. She said that Will did things during his first session that with some children it takes 6 sessions before they can do it.

Things that we are working on: 

·         Oral Motor Practice with straws, horns, Kazoos, blowing bubbles, tongue movements, etc

·         Animal Sounds

·         Initial consonants b, p, d, m

·         Vowels  (he does /ah/ /oo/ regularly)

·         Indentifying body parts

·         Imitation

·         Following basic directions

After 7 speech therapy sessions he is doing great. He now says:

·         Mama – Constantly (last few weeks has called Wes, Jacob and others /mama/ too)

·         Ball- around Christmas

·         Dar Dar for Darcy – since about January

·         Dada – in last 2 weeks

·         All Gone – last week

·         Go –yesterday

·         Identifying body parts more regularly and more on command

·         Working on animal sounds: He has woof & baa

·         Consonants:  m, b,p, g, k, t

·         Vowels:   ah, oo, o, i,

·         He uses ASL (Baby Signs):

o   more, please, eat, milk, help, all gone/done

o   Sometimes candy, open, bird, cookie, help

Tonya says that children with Apraxia tend to lean towards CV (consonant-vowel) or VC (vowel-consonant). Will prefers VC; even though the words he does say start with a consonant sound, he will sometimes add  a vowel sound in front….i.e. when he began saying ball it came out /uh ba/ then /uh ball/ now /ball/.  Just this week he has done that with the word ‘bite’.  I can get him to say each letter sound in isolation: /b/ /i/ /t/…..he’s now putting first two together/bi/ and then will repeat the /t/ sound after me.

I’ve started a written journal to record his progress. I’m also hoping to be able to update the blog so you will know how he is doing. Thank you for your prayers and support.