Breaking through Speech

Breaking a stone with drops of water is possible if one has the time and patience to do it. However, if given the task I'd feel defeated before I even got started, not to mention that it can't possibly be the most exciting thing on earth to tackle. That's kind of how I would describe speech therapy so I can only begin to image how Oia must feel. Above all, she is working so very hard in Speech that it makes me weepy with pride yet it's almost painful to helplessly watch each session. I observe each one and find myself moving my own mouth as if in some crazy way to make it easier for Oia to move hers. Currently, we are using pictures to help facilitate the vocalization of sentence structure.

Sentences primarily are
1. "I want _____." and
2. "The _____ is ______."

First video captures Oia producing the /d/ sound to attempt the word duck (which is a first) and she also signs sleeping and dog.



Oia has been receptive to words that begin with an /h/ so each session focuses on a few of these words. Good things of this video are Oia's attempt to say hammer and eggs, the signing of more (tap of fists), and voluntarily speaking open and help me. And on the OT front, she is using two hands to open her egg...



An hour session just about puts Oia over the edge but our ST is very understanding. There are some movement activities planned which aids in maintaining Oia's attention span but it still requires both ST and myself to keep little Miss interested. Despite how challenging this is for Oia, she still works pretty darn hard and we WILL break through this barrier, slowly, one drop at a time.