We Have LOTS of Words!

As I wrote about in a previous post, Kasia was referred to the assistive communication clinic this past June. I met with them in September and was supposed to be working on compiling a list of words to include in a communication book for her to use. They gave me a deadline of December 6th to return the paperwork and word list.

So since September, I've picked up and put down the paperwork numerous times. Selecting words is not as easy as I thought it would be. Should I include "dog" if she says "dog"? That question started coming up more and more in recent weeks as Kasia began to say more and more words.

Last week I decided that since Kasia would be seeing her geneticist in early December (and they always ask so many questions and want so many details), I would try to compile a list of words she says on a regular basis, so I could accurately report to her on how Kasia was doing with speech. Needles to say, I was pretty surprised!


And then my thoughts turned back to that manilla evelope from the assistive communication clinic that had been sitting on my desk for months. I felt so badly that I hadn't completed my assignment so I decided that I needed some help and called her speech therapist for advice. (She hasn't seen Kasia since late June.) During the course of our conversation I mentioned that Kasia is now using between 125 - 140 words on a regular basis and there was complete and utter silence on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" I said.

The therapist was so shocked by what I had said, that she couldn't speak! When she finally got her composure back she agreed that it might be a good idea to put the communication book on hold for the time being until she has a chance to re-assess her. She also added that I had "made her weekend".

I can't tell you how good it felt. I'm so proud of my little bee.




(Graduation from Jr. Path preschool - June 2008)