Speakin

So Schroeder is still not speaking and it's been a concern for us for about half a year because we kept thinking he should at least be saying "Mama" and "Daddy". The best he can do is "Da" and he's 2 1/2. I took him to an audiologist in November and his hearing is great and he did so well in the little hearing booth the audiologist really wished she had recorded him because he responded so perfectly.

The next step was getting him evaluated by an speech therapist. I took him this past Friday and it turns out he does need speech and also a visit to an ENT. She said that he has apraxia tendencies which means his brain doesn't send the signal to his mouth to make the speech motions and movements. There's more to it but that's the simple version. Also, he has a tongue thrust and part of that is because of his ENLARGED tonsils. She was talking to me about how his bite is off when he bites down and that it could be caused by a tongue thrust. So she proceeds to look at his tonsils and gasps. She handed me the flashlight and made me look and his tonsils are so big you can't see down his throat. I guess that's why he's only requested fruit cups the past week!!

She said that with enlarged tonsils the tongue is not able to rest correctly and that causes a tongue thrust. The tongue thrust also makes it hard for him to make sounds correctly. Anyways, she suggested speech and a visit to the ENT to see about his tonsils. I'm nervous about him possibly needing surgery, but if he needs it so be it. I am just so glad I'm not a crazy person thinking my child should be speaking by now. He wants to communicate with us and has learned to point, prod, and yell at us to get our attention and has learned to drag us places to tell us what he wants. I am so glad that he will be getting speech and hope the new therapist will provide us better ways to communicate with each other as well as help him begin to use his mouth muscles so that he can start speaking. He starts Monday so I will have to let ya'll know how it goes.

P.S. - I have birthday pics from Mackenzie's party as well as Christmas pics that I will be posting soon.