We’ve been preparing for today for 3 years. See when my daughter Kaila was two and a half I knew that something was different. She wasn’t talking as good as other kids and other people had a hard time understanding her. There were time I didn’t even understand her. We found out shortly after she turned three that she had a speech disorder. Kaila had been diagnosed with a phonological disorder and her brain hadn’t quite made the connections with her tongue to make the correct sounds.
For the past three years Kaila has worked every single day at her speech. I remember when all of a sudden she was saying perfect “s’ blends and was finally able to say her own name correctly. I remember her being so proud as she started to sound out sounds and as she began to read. She never thought she wasn’t good enough even though others might have. Now she can read on her own and is in an advanced reading group in school. She did that! I remember being so scared wondering if she would read along with her peers and here she is doing it all.
Today Kaila said goodbye to speech therapy. An almost constantly weekly routine for our family now gone. A speech therapist who got to know her personally and watched her grow up. It was tough saying goodbye to Sarah today because she met Kaila all those years ago and has watched her become the girl she is today. Kaila gave her a hug and said thank you and then we walked away. Like it never happened.
My child no longer has a phonological disorder, she had one.
What a great milestone!! All three of my children have received speech therapy for different speech issues and it always amazes me how close not only the children got with their therapists but also how close I became with many of them. It is so great when problems can be picked up and corrected. Thanks for sharing your great story!! I’m so glad to have found you on twitter and am now following your great site!
I bet it was bitter sweet for the Speechie! It’s so great to be able to say “that’s it, you’re done, all the hard work is over” and even better when you are saying it after such a positive outcome like yours but so hard to say goodbye to kids you have seen for years. I still wonder about some of my kiddos, especially when I work out that kids I saw as toddlers will now be teens!
Great work, Kai! Just in time for cookie sales next month…
Fantabulous! I love this post!
That is fantastic news. 🙂 It makes me wonder what other great things Kaila will achieve during her lifetime. The sky is the limit.
She has worked very hard and is awesome!
You should be proud of yourself too, for taking the time to recognize there was a problem and helping her over come it. I see so many parents act like nothing is wrong and instead of helping their child they are really hindering their child to grow and thrive.
My niece is just awesome!
That is awesome – good for her, and for you mama.
I’m sure your support and encouragement worked its magic!
🙂
Congrats! 🙂 Such an amazing story. I’m glad Kaila is doing so well!
Congratulations to Kaila on her wonderful achievement!
You’re such a good mom for getting her early intervention
Rowan starts a special preschool next month for developmental delays. (he’s almost 4). It’s been a hard pill for me to swallow but I’m glad he will be getting help. WTG Kaila!!!
That is wonderful! You all should be very proud!
I am so proud of you guys for getting through this challenge so well. You have taken steps to ensure Kaila has all the opportunities that she can throughout her life.
Congratulations, that is quite a milestone! You must be so proud of her hard work. 🙂