I wrote an article about me and my son who has apraxia

[Guest guest]

It's in a magazine called Exceptional Child printed by Charlotte Parent.

http://www.myonlinepubs.com/publication/?i=37245

This is the digital version!

[Guest guest]

this is so profound about how you had that cathartic cry after they took

the mask off -fully aware of what your grandfather must have gone through.

Sometimes those moments hit us as we put the puzzle of life together and better

understand from hindsight. The reason that the director from Inside Edition

years ago was so inspired to do an episode on verbal apraxia is that like your

grandfather, her friend's grandfather went through the same thing (hey your not

friends with Stefannie Lindsor are you???

For those that didn't see that episode of Inside Edition

here is the segment

http://www.cherabfoundation.org/2001/inside-edition-segment/

here are some photos of the trip

http://picasaweb.google.com/cherabfoundation/InsideEditionTripToNYC?feat=flashsl\

ideshow#

For me my moment hit listening to Christmas songs on the radio. Specifically

this song

The children sounded just like angels, my son looked just like a cherub, why

couldn't he sing? why couldn't he talk? I don't know why but for me there are a

few Christmas songs that made me cry thinking of my son as you say unable to

communicate even basic needs while other children -even children much younger

-are able to sing and talk so effortlessly.

I am thankful for all the strategies and therapies that brought Tanner up to

where he is today at 13 years old -able to sing, talk and be a young teen

excited about school, his friends, his future. The future for our children is

bright with awareness and knowledge that sometimes it's simple things that

help...like when Tanner was essentially nonverbal playing with puppets and

making simple sounds and laughing as we communicated in the only way he knew how

then -in his language back then as we taught him ours through speech therapy,

simple sign and PECS, and fish oils every day...till today how simple and normal

" chocolate milk " (nutriiveda) is -and yet once again what a profound difference

it makes... did his ped every approve it??

I'd like to post your story up on our fb and Cherab page if that is OK -easier

to tweet to if I have a page to send people to. Can you please look it over and

make sure I spelled and wrote all correctly?

A world Without Words

By DeGironimo Creager

In 2000, while earning my master’s degree in counseling at the University of

Georgia, I had a poignant and fortuitous experience during a weekend Expressive

Arts class. I didn’t realize then that the assignment would have more

pertinent and far-reaching implications for me.

We each were assigned to make a personalized mask that illustrated our

individual identities. I laid down on the table, and my grad-school cohorts got

to work. They carefully placed wet paper-mache strips across my face, while I

remained motionless. After a few moments, they were engaged in

conversations….I was not able to contribute.

Immediately, I was reminded of my grandfather, a very significant figure in my

childhood, who passed away at the age of 90. He suffered a series of mini

strokes and was left unable to communicate as prolifically and easily as before.

This was difficult for my family, as my grandfather was the storyteller, and

loved to talk to anyone and everyone.

After the mask was removed, I burst into tears � " a cathartic cry. I felt what

my grandfather must have been feeling as conversations continued around him at

the assisted living center. He must have felt like an uninvited guest at a

party, and I wondered how many of his caregivers really talked to him, and not

about him.

I am profoundly grateful I had this particular class and assignment. Not only

did it make a more powerful impression than what I learned from a textbook, or a

lecture about what the geriatric population may experience, but it also prepared

me somewhat for what lay ahead � " raising a beautiful boy with speech apraxia.

My son , now 3, was born with apraxia, a neurological disorder that

renders him unable to coordinate the nerve impulse message from his brain to his

facial muscles, In other words, the wires get crossed, and he cannot easily

initiate the complicated fine motor movements for appropriate speech sounds.

Because my son’s cognitive capacity is intact, his reality is that he wears

the “mask†each day.

Imagine your child not being able to share his wants and needs with you and

others � " what he did at preschool that day, what his favorite activity was,

what he wants for Christmas for his birthday, what makes him afraid, what makes

his heart sing, or even his name.

My job is to help him navigate through a speaking world. On difficult days when

he is felling frustrated, I put on my imaginary mask and remember what it was

like not being able to communicate with those around me. This shifts my

perspective and helps me to better help him. I talk less, and listen more to

body language, gestures and signing.

I’m happy that now is able to say “Mommy.â€

We celebrate every accomplishment.

DeGimmino Creager is a Huntersville mom, licensed professional counselor

and former school counselor at Brawley Middle School in sville. She is is

the co-founder of the Apraxia Support Group of Charlotte. ’s younger

sister, Alaina, 2 also has some special needs.

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