Talking

We've been working for about six months on Anna's speech and it's coming along, but it sure is a slow process. There are times when I'm extremely frustrated (and I'm sure she is too). At least I have last year to look back on to help me through my exasperation. Last year at this time, all she could do was scoot around on her bottom to get from place to place. She didn't crawl, pull herself up, kneel; she just scooted around cleaning my floors with her seat! And at this point last year we had been doing OT and PT for 6/7 months so I was definitely frustrated wondering when and if she would ever reach a point where things would come more easily to her.

Then October came and Anna started walking. I was excited but also concerned that she would get frustrated every time she fell because she couldn't pull herself up yet. This was the case for sure, but it didn't last long, gratefully! She soon realized that the only way to not feel so annoyed by falling was to pick herself up so she did! And once she started pulling herself up not long after her first unassisted steps, she really had a huge learning burst. Now I watch her and can't believe how easily she gets around. In fact, she just started climbing on top of the couch by herself. Not exactly where I want her to play, but it's a good therapy tool, nonetheless! She still has fine motor skill issues and her gross motor skills are still weaker than other kids her age, but she certainly manages to hold her own whether home or out and about.

So I try and relate this story to her speech. Right now she's 'scooting' - doing what she can to get what she wants verbally but still struggling to really communicate at the same speed her brain is inputting information. Hopefully by October, if not sooner, she'll have another huge burst and words will come more quickly and she'll start stringing words together to get her point across a lot faster and more effectively. I know she has a lot to say right now - she's constantly pointing and 'grunting' and when I give her a word to associate with what I think she wants, she happily repeats. I guess I just have to focus on teaching and not worrying, after all time will tell!