As a parent of a child on the spectrum you hang on to hope. Sometimes hope represents one word. As I hear parents of typical kids brag over the fact that their kids can recite the Gettysburg Address or wax poetic over their mini walking Wikipedias, yesterday, I get over-the-moon excited that Ava blurted out "WANT BUBBLES!"
She has been saying "bubbles" intermittently - usually when I give her a bath and she wants a bubble bath. I make her ask for bubbles and she may or may no say it. But yesterday in therapy she was reaching for the bottle of bubbles, the therapist asked her, "what do you want?" and Ava looked up and said "want bubbles!"
It's as if the clouds parted and angels began to sing. It's like a first step, the first smile, the moment of birth all over again. My non-verbal child, who lost all language at 15 1/2 months, spoke. It's our Helen Keller "waa-waa" moment. It is our moment of hope.
I hang on Ava's every utterance. She babbles her own language but cannot force real words out. "Want bubbles" was music to my ears. "Want bubbles" opened a very heavy, hard-to-open, silent door. I immediately fantasized about what she would say next. I called my husband to tell him. She was not just repeating, she was answering a question and indicating what she wanted. We rejoiced and felt as if a large weight had been lifted. Maybe now, she will emerge from her silence. Maybe.
And by the way, she got her bubbles!
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Comments (4)
Oh gosh, I'm all teary eyed for you, because I know how this feels. My daughter was 15 months old when she lost all language. She made almost no strides from age 2 1/2 (when the doctors FINALLY got tired of me and send me and her off for a referral) until about 6 weeks ago (when we altered her diet). Now she says 5 words, many of which I've never even heard her brother say. The "cookie peeeez" phrase totally melted my heart.
: ' )
That's awesome! A proud moment for little Ava. You go girl!
What a great start. Keep believing:)