Sessions have been very informal and play-based. We all interact downstairs or outside. The girls are little prodigy students, mimicking most everything the therapist says and does. The therapist uses different strategies for each of the kids to encourage effective communication. Then she has me do them.
In my mind, I've always associated speech with talking. I was so naive about all the precursors to talking, as well as the fact that communication encompasses a lot more than clearly enunciating words. In addition to encouraging specific sounds and words, we've been working on pointing with index fingers and using sign language. James has been very reluctant to use sign language. It took him three weeks to finally begin signing "more". The girls caught on quickly and are using basic signs as well as saying the word.
In my mind, I've always associated speech with talking. I was so naive about all the precursors to talking, as well as the fact that communication encompasses a lot more than clearly enunciating words. In addition to encouraging specific sounds and words, we've been working on pointing with index fingers and using sign language. James has been very reluctant to use sign language. It took him three weeks to finally begin signing "more". The girls caught on quickly and are using basic signs as well as saying the word.
The last ten minutes of each session are spent reviewing specific strategies to use throughout the week. I was able to help Maddie so much with her physical therapy because I took videos and pictures of the exercises. I asked the speech therapist for concrete strategies. She is so natural at her job and I feel so uncomfortable. Of course I read and talk to the kids, but that's not enough. I feel ridiculous making up nonsense sounds for actions, singing vowels, and over-exaggerating consonants. Blowing paper around and dramatically pretend-sneezing are not things I naturally choose to do.
The therapist has been great about giving me handouts, helping me write prompts on our white board, and even bookmarking links to podcasts on my computer.
Amelia and Maddie are making tremendous progress and learning a new word every day. In the last month, Amelia and Maddie have gone from using a dozen words to consistently saying over forty words. Both girls are learning the same words. James is making progress, but at a slower rate. James communicates physically (i.e. pushing, throwing, grabbing) more often than verbally. Here is a list of words the toddlers say unprompted. The asterisks denote the words James consistently says.
- cat
- meow
- up
- please
- mommy*
- daddy*
- Jack
- bubbles
- ball
- doggy*
- more
- mine*
- shoes*
- cookies*
- cupcake
- cracker
- outside*
- thank you*
- go*
- away
- here you go*
- uh oh*
- no*
- yes/ uh huh
- poo poo*
- pee pee*
- drink
- milk
- juice
- water (wa-wa)
- cup
- nose*
- eyes
- beep beep*
- MiMi
- PaPa
- ducky
- cow
- moo
- blankie*
- yucky
- baby*
- bye*
- hello*
- ice
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