Alyssa did a few things I want to share . She is always doing something when least expected . At this point even things that seem so minor have huge potential. I never thought I would hear her voice . I hoped and I prayed , I wished and dreamed , and eventually I accepted . Communication is what’s most important and however she learns best is most important . Whether it’s signing , speaking , using a speech device , using pictures . Gestures , writing whatever helps her connect with the world .
I know she most likely she will never ‘talk’ . Some professionals and some people think at this point I should focus on using a device and not on her verbalizations . I get it , it’s a moms pipe dream . The fact the she is saying words is mind blowing . I still can’t believe it .
The thing is she wants to speak . She is so proud and so happy when she knows she pronounces a word correctly . She knows and she tries so so hard . And yes a lot of it is still unclear but some of it is getting clearer . As long as she is trying I will keep encouraging , keep pushing , and keep helping her .
The only two words she has been able to string together is more please , which I’ll take because it took a lot of work to get there . Yesterday me and Kierra came in and we said Hi to her , and I said say hi Kiki and she said hi Kiki I have tried to get her to do this so many times and she will just repeat the last word / sound . Then is said hi lexi and she said it Hi . Lexi , she wouldn’t do it later when I tried to show everyone lol but that’s ok because she did it once so I know she can do it again .
Tonight I was asking how her day was at school and what she had for lunch ( today is her cooking group so I don’t send lunch ) and she went and brought me the iPad
Which she NEVER initiates the prolougue2go app . She opened it up and showed me what she did at school and what she ate ~ UNPROMPTED this is huge and she never does this . I hate to admit I’ve been slacking modeling and prompting her to use the app because she is so resistant and it’s so hard to consistently follow through but this shows so much promise !!
Also since she brought the iPad over to me , I decided to do an activity with her and incorporate the app . We did flash cards . A simple activity I ask her to verbally identify the picture , then we flip it over sound it out and she types it on the iPad . So one of the cards was a duck which she pronounces so well and I know for a fact she can spell it without looking . I try to get her to type without looking at the word and she won’t . Not because she can’t but because it’s breaking the routine . She still is so rigid . So I put my hands on the card so she can’t flip it trying to see if she will type it without looking and she very loudly says :
Give it back , several times – it sounds more like a chant ( hope it’s not lol ) and it takes me a second to hear what she is saying . And there she goes saying give it back ~ so so much potential . Sometimes you have to really listen and listen with your heart . I won’t give up , I can’t She has come too far .💙💙💙
Autism adventures with Alyssa 