Timely article about child with DS and apraxia

[Guest guest]

(Do you think his parents read The Late Talker -tried the ProEFA?)

(are his parents members here?!)

Knowing what he needs

fort Square boy finds a voice through machine

September 01, 2008

Chudzik gets a hug from his sister, . has Down

Syndrome and suffers from speech apraxia, which prohibits him from

forming sentences on his own. A machine called a Dynavox enables him

to speak by forming sentences by pressing buttons.

Before the machine, everything came out jumbled.

Eight-year-old Chudzik's speech was halting and his sentences

malformed, as the fort Square resident has Down Syndrome and

suffers from a speech condition called apraxia. His difficulties with

word and sentence formation left him shy and insecure.

But now everyone will hear what he has to say.

With the help of fort fundraising organization Trailblazers,

got his hands on a machine called a Dynavox, which allows him to

select symbols dictating what he needs and wants, helping him to form

sentences. The machine then " speaks " the sentences he created through

pushing the buttons.

's apraxia causes his brain to " take what he wants to say ... not

coming out right. "

For years he's been unable to communicate his wants and needs,

without the device.

She noticed a change in after he began using the machine during

classes with Lincoln Way Area Special Education ative.

Chudzik hugs his brother, Jake. has Down Syndrome and

suffers from speech apraxia, which prohibits him from forming

sentences on his own.

" He's confident, " Chudzik said. " He gets to socialize in the world. "

After he could no longer use the machine because of special education

cooperative regulations, his mother said, " He came home and put the

covers over his head because no one knew what he was saying. "

's speech pathologist contacted Trailblazers in July about

raising funds for the device and by mid-August, had not only acquired

the funds, but also the device — for a total of $8,000.

Chudzik couldn't believe it.

" I thought, a little bit of help here, then we'd cover what they

couldn't, put all the money together, " she said.

The Trailblazer Charitable Foundation used their annual golf outing

to raise the funds, said Peg Blais, of the foundation.

" We initially heard from his speech therapist, " Blais said. " The

family sent notes, pictures, we met them and said, 'Let's do this.' "

Chudzik poses with his family. has Down Syndrome and

suffers from speech apraxia, which prohibits him from forming

sentences on his own.

Just like that, they made it happen.

Now, life for is like normal.

He's making sentences and tattling on his siblings, brother Jake, 11,

and sister , 13, like any other kid.

When he comes home from school, he'll ask for a snack by punching in

the snack button, selecting chips, for instance, and adding a touch

of manners.

" He always adds the 'mom, please,' " Chudzik said. " Everything and

anything, there's a picture for him to use. "

Jake likes to teach how to type in jokes and other fun stuff,

while tries to teach him how to ask for different objects or

ask other questions.

" When you see him use the machine, you see how smart he is, to know

what he needs, " Chudzik said. " People don't look at him funny when

they can understand him. "

His apraxia may never improve, Chudzik said, so this machine is like

a lifeline to the outside world.

" I wish I had a crysal ball, " she said. " I don't know where

would be without them [Trailblazers]. They gave him his voice back.

It's the best thing that came into his life. "

http://www.frankfortstation.com/Articles-c-2008-09-01-183934.112113_Knowing_what\

_he_needs.html

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