Posts Tagged ‘apraxia’
Age is Just a Number
Yesterday I was scrolling mindlessly through Instagram, as I usually do, when I saw a picture that stopped my finger mid-motion. It was a little girl I knew well. Her mom, a friend of mine. We were pregnant at the same time. We have slipped apart over the years, as we so often do. The photo was precious. The caption read, the last day of third grade. Third grade. Wow. For a second I thought, that can’t be right. I did the math. It was right. If my son was…
Read MoreHard Work
Some kids work really hard before they start their school day. Harder than most. The get up early and leave the house in the dark when it’s 19 degrees and go to speech and do puzzles and practice saying words. They sit on the ground with their angel-like therapist and their mom and try. They turn the lights off and run out the door and giggle and get mad when the sounds won’t come out right. The ask for hugs from mom when it gets to hard and practice calm…
Read MoreA Nonverbal Thank You
Cooper has never asked me for a birthday present. He’s never asked me for anything really. If I was to show him something cool or ask him a question about what I think he might want, he most likely will always answer yes. He likes to answer yes. But it isn’t always accurate. Unless I ask him something ridiculous like…do you want broccoli for dinner? Then it’s a definite NO. Over the years we’ve never talked about the presents I’ve given him. Not a word. I’ve never gotten an excited…
Read MoreSomeday, You’ll Tell Me
Cooper, this morning was just like every other morning. You woke up happy as usual. Had breakfast, got dressed with Dad’s help, put your shoes (all by yourself!) and your coat on, negotiated 75 treasures to bring to school, and then you were gone. I yelled ‘I LOVE YOU’ ridiculously loud and stole a hug and 3 kisses before you darted out the door. Y ou grunted in response like you usually do. I then asked you to repeat ‘I Love You’ like I do every day. You willingly try.…
Read MoreAt Your Lowest Point, Have Faith
I should be at church right now. There are a whole lotta reasons why I’m not. Sawyer is at hockey practice with Jamie. I have no one to watch Cooper. I need to pack for our trip and clean our house and grocery shop and make the itinerary for the grandparents. Anyhow, I’m sitting here, drinking coffee, watching two of my boys play, and thinking about faith. It’s no secret that my son is thriving. We’ve figured out how to help him in all the ways that he needs help.…
Read MoreGive Your Child A Voice
This morning I had a conversation with my nonverbal son. A real one without words. To all of the mamas and dads out there with children who do not speak verbally, hang on. Never give up hope. Keep working towards functional communication. I sat on the couch drinking my coffee. He sat next to me immersed in his trains. I asked him if something happened at school yesterday. He grunted ‘yea.’ I asked him if there was a little boy who frustrates him. He grunted ‘yea.’ Now this isn’t the…
Read MoreMy Promise to my Son
My son, I have never met a person who works as hard as you just to live in this world. I think so often we forget that this place simply doesn’t make sense to you. Or kids like you. You like and need things different than the norm. It’s too loud, too bright, too smelly. It’s crowded and overwhelming. And people just don’t understand you. They don’t take the time to listen or see you or understand. But every single day, you persist. You try. You practice. You adapt. You…
Read MoreFamily asked to Leave Restaurant due to Son’s ‘Noises’
A family says they are left heartbroken and saddened after they were asked to leave an Outback Steakhouse restaurant in Glen Burnie, Maryland on Saturday night because of their son who has Childhood Apraxia of Speech, a neurological disorder. Amanda Braun’s son, Killian, was born with Childhood Apraxia of Speech. The disorder affects Killian in many ways especially communication and behavior. Sometimes when he speaks, his words are unclear. My son Cooper also has apraxia along with autism. To us this means he wants to communicate, he knows what he…
Read MoreAm I Doing the Right Things?
You know those moments as a parent where you question if you are doing the right things? I have them with all three of my kids. But with my son Cooper it’s times a hundred. The stakes are higher. The decisions are monumental. I want to help him as much as I possibly can. And in a way I often feel like it’s a race against time. But often, the things that will help him, the therapies especially, cause him so much stress. He also works so hard every single…
Read MoreI Knew it would be Hard, Just not this Hard
When my son was diagnosed with autism five years ago, I knew we were in for a challenge. And I don’t just mean the fight for services or supports, I just knew my little guy was a pistol. At that time, he didn’t sleep. At all. He was up all night and started our day around 4 am. I also knew that he hated all foods. And refused to eat almost everything. I knew he couldn’t communicate. And refused to participate. I knew everything was a fight. He refused to…
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