Our Daughter was Nonverbal

Our daughter was nonverbal.

She did not sing.

She did not make noises.

She did not imitate.

She did not point.

We were repeatedly told she might not ever talk. Every time I heard this sentence it was overwhelming.

Then we got the call from aeiou – an early intervention centre in Brisbane Australia. A place was available. A full time placement.

My anxiety peaked. A full time placement for my nonverbal toddler.

Do they REALLY understand what nonverbal is? How serious this is? Do they really know what they are doing…what they are in for?

My husband and I had heard the stories about aeiou. All the successes. We cautiously inhaled and accepted the spot offered to our daughter.

The first weeks of drop offs were hard. So hard. Our daughter screamed and cried at every drop off.

There were many days that I sat in the car afterwards and cried.

I would call my husband and we counselled each other about whether we were doing the right thing.

But then things changed.

I called her name…and she stopped and looked back at me.

I asked her to put something back and she did!

She would squeal with excitement every morning as we pulled into the carpark at aeiou.

She was happy.

Aeiou taught our daughter and us, how to communicate with PECS and…a few months after starting PECS …one day she said a word…” up.”

Just one word. One little amazing word.

It took a few months before we heard another word. The next word was ‘hot’.

Then there were more words and now she is sometimes saying three word utterances. She can point, imitate and hum tunes. She is trying to sing.

I am by no means naive about the journey still ahead of us but I am so grateful every day for her developments because I remember.

I remember that when you have a nonverbal child there are so many people that feel the need to remind you of all the things your child might not do. That your child might not ever talk, won’t be toilet trained, won’t read, won’t make a friend, they won’t ride a bike.

I remember those dreams that your child is talking to you and then waking up and realising that it wasn’t real. That it might not ever be real.

I remember that uncomfortable uncertainty that is overwhelming and nauseating at the same time.

The praying, the bargaining for just one single word. I remember that too.

Aeiou restored my hope.

They gave my daughter the gift of speech.

There is nothing that I can say or do to thank this organisation enough.

Written by, Erica May

I’m a lawyer in Brisbane, Australia. I have two beautiful daughters. One has autism and we were told to prepare ourselves to raise a child who might never talk. The speech therapist and occupational therapist along with all the teachers at aeiou have had an amazing impact on our daughter. I hope that other people in Australia in a similar situation to us can read this piece and consider this incredible organisation.

Click HERE to learn more about the aeiou Foundation for children with autism.

(Editor’s Note: This article was provided by Erica May and is part of Cooper’s, ‘I’m Thankful For You’ Campaign.)

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