He Hears Our Prayers....and Answers LOUD and Clear.

God definitely hears our prayers. 

Throughout this journey I have claimed that none of Luke's progress has to do with us and everything to do with God. 

This is an email that I received today from our private speech therapist at More Than Words Pediatric Rite Care Clinic.  We speak briefly before and after sessions, along with scheduled conferences....but she wrote today to specifically tell me how AMAZING he was in speech therapy today.

Wow, what a great session!! He was in great spirits and very focused. I started
by tracking his production of /l/ both in CV (consonant-vowel) and VC syllables using the Speech EZ forms.

He did a terrific job with the CV with just a little vowel distortion. As you might have guessed,
the VC was much more difficult.

It's difficult for him to coordinate the tongue movement from a vowel position back to the /l/ placement, which requires his tongue to touch behind his front teeth.

B/c he was so cooperative today, we were able to do some intensive oral motor awareness work with the mirror and with me modeling the tongue position. He did very well when I cued him to "touch
behind your teeth with your thumb." (This was easier for him to do than touch
with his index finger). I cued him to "press up hard!" so that he could really feel where his tongue was supposed to go. Then, after this, I cued him for tongue placement there. This is coming and I'm going to make a point of starting the session (or trying to) with this exercise until it's easier for him.

He LOVED using the dollhouse. I've found a variety of furniture and little dolls to use
with so he didn't know what to expect. This is very important to engaging him: the element
of the "unknown."

Using the hand cue for /h/, I prompted him to imitate a variety of sentences
including "He goes here." "He has mail." We did a little with the "sh" in "she," too e.g. "She goes here."

Also, continued work on the voiced "th" in the carrier phrase "I see the _______" re: different
toys in the dollhouse.

Overall, a marvelous session.

I was pleased that he tolerated the slimy creatures in the bucket, too. It didn't seem to bother him too much!

Have a great day!

Giving GOD the GLORY and praising JESUS for His healing powers!  Keep those prayers coming.  We feel completely covered in prayer!!!

Obey~Faith~Rejoice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He Can Heal....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Plans...

One of the most important choices that I think we ever made was getting Luke to the best apraxia and sensory processing experts known to man.  This not only gave us insight as to what the best practices and protocols, but it also gave us the ablilty to share what we learned with therapists in our area. 

Until Luke, Childhood Apraxia of Speech was something that therapists here had heard about, but not really diagnosed.  Many are still afraid of diagnosing children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech too soon.  I still can't understand what they are afraid of and what harm it could do. I guess they just really don't have the experience with CAS. 

My background is in Early Childhood Education, with a Masters in Reading and an Educational Specialist in Elementary and I am of the belief that early intervention is key.  Specifically in apraxia, it takes the right kind of treatment and therapy.  It has to be intense and frequent.

Going to Michigan, to Colorado, to Arizona and to DC was not something we planned for.  Kind of like apraxia, dyspraxia and sensory processing disorder.  Not something we planned for at all.

It wasn't easy to make those much needed trips.  It took us opening up and asking for help, as well as accepting the help offered.  Our church and community has been amazing. 

The sacrifices made by so many will never be forgotten.

And while Luke has come so far, our journey isn't done. 

I can see the light.  I can see the progress.  He just needs more.  More intensive help from the experts in far away places. 

And so......this mama is on a mission again!  Operation Fundraising for Far Away Places ;)

Sometimes It Seems Like an Uphill Battle...

Sometimes it does seem like an uphill battle.

But if you look for good things and are thankful for them....

I promise it gets easier with each step forward.

 

 

 

 

Check out the motor planning going on. 

Many people take for granted the little things...

not us.

 

 

High Five from Daddy!

 

 

 

I seriously want a pause button.

This school year has flown by and before I blink again, it will probably be summer.

 

 

 

My boys

 

 

Silly swinging

 

 

And even I joined in ;) 

Like I said....it's the little things.