MAY 14 2013 Will be the first National Apraxia Awareness Day. It is also Leo's birthday. Of course on that day I will have a dedicated post about Apraxia. My facebook page will be loaded with Awareness information and hopefully I will get all 197 facebook friends to join the event! (Some already have joined!) The event is not something you actually attend. To be a part of the Awareness day you just need to show your support. How can you show your support without attending an actual event? Talk to someone you know who has a child with Apraxia or has it themselves. You can make your status say "I love someone with Childhood Apraxia of Speech". You can read and learn more about Childhood Apraxia of Speech. If your child has Apraxia (fully diagnosed or a working diagnosis) you can use this day to reach out to those in your family or community who may not know about Apraxia.
I saw this logo made for the Awareness day. It made me think about my parenting techniques being so different for Gabriel and Lucas, because of how Apraxia affects our day to day life. Toddler temper tantrums are usually a result of the child having emotions or wants that they are not able to express. A seasoned parent knows that you first need the child to calm down and then get them to relate their issue. With Gabe I used to tell him "Use your words." I still say this to Lucas but it is more complicated. Most of the time Lucas doesn't have the words to use. Or he will try to use his words and I won't be able to understand him because he is missing sounds or using mostly vowels. We do use some sign language to help us when we get stuck, we currently have about 25 signs Lucas can use. Gestures and situations clues help in decoding what Lucas is saying or wants. As frusterating as it can be to be the parent trying to understand your child's wants and needs it is more frusterating to be that child who cannot make their wants/needs understood.
The Ramirez Family has always been a vocal family. We tend to talk loud and over each other. For Lucas we have learned to dial it down and slow down. Mostly we have learned to actively listen so we don't miss out on what Lucas is trying to say. Every now and then he has moments where his speech does come out so clear. Leo and I try not to cry with pride during those moments. We are currently in a phase where Lucas tries to say everything Gabriel says. Lucas will get the tone and pitch, the rythm of what is being said. To us this is beautiful and fun. Of course if we didn't hear Gabriel talking we would not have a clue as to what Lucas said. This phase of Lucas being a copycat is an important milestone. It is a victory and one Leo and I are getting a huge kick out of. Gabriel loves it, he understands that his brother is giving him some Hero Worship.
Lucas doesn't have the ability to use his words. Lucky for him his Mommy is talented with using her words. Lucas and I have an agreement. We will work together for him to learn to speak as a team. I will help him as much as I possibly can and I will advocate for him. I will advocate to make sure he gets everything he needs, every chance that is available to him, and I will keep advocating till he can fully speak for himself in a way that everyone can understand him. Will you join me?
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