Late Talker or Apraxia

I think I mentioned before that I joined an Apraxia Facebook Group. It has been really beneficial for me to read about other kids like Cooper. Throughout this whole journey I am constantly searching for another mom who is going through what I am. I need to find a kid that doesn’t have any words at age 3. I scour blogs, groups, pinterest, YouTube, anything that I can find. All I want is to find someone who has went through this or still is going through this. I don’t want to be alone. I want to blend in.

The closest I have come is a YouTube video where the boy miraculously started talking at 3 years 6 months. I remember the day I first found it. I made  my husband sit down and watch it with me. I cried. Sobbed actually. I sent a frantic, desperate email to the mom begging for every detail she could give me. Did her son mimic before this moment? Was he diagnosed with something? What is he like now? And I got no response. It was crushing.

All of this leads me to my point of today’s post. Someone put on the Apraxia Facebook page that a speech therapist will not diagnose Apraxia until the child will attempt to mimic. Until that point, there is a chance that the kid just doesn’t want to talk. (This was posted by a speech therapist). The post stated that many children don’t talk until 2 or 3 and so many parents are desperate for a diagnosis that many children are misdiagnosed with Apraxia. My first thought after reading this was, “Oh God please let this be Cooper.” I believe I actually closed my eyes and said a silent prayer. Then reality set in. Cooper doesn’t mimic. He doesn’t make any sounds besides vowels. There is no chance anymore that he is just a later talker. Well, I guess there is always a chance but we are looking at slim to none.

I do have another positive update! I love having these to share! Last night Coops and I were playing trains in his room and as usual I was attempting to get him to make noises vocally. I had a reeses peanut butter cup…also known as…crack! Cooper recently learned bribing or ‘do this and you can have that.’ It’s been huge for him. I asked him to open his mouth and say ‘aw’. (Think opening your mouth at the doctor so they can look in your throat.) He looked right at me and did it. Multiple times actually. This is new! I then made him blow bubbles with his lips and stick his tongue out. He did all of them! And lastly, I made him blow bubble sounds on my stomach. Another victory! (Tonight I will see if he can repeat.)

I know these sound like little things but to a child who struggles with mouth movement and mimicking they are huge. I was one happy mama last night!