Brady's Page

First words….

Brady recently uttered the words “eat” and “ball” over and over again after watching the Signing Time DVD he enjoys.  He’s been non-verbal since just after his 1st birthday, so we’ve never really heard Brady’s voice.  It’s a glimmer of hope when this happens, but I think to myself that it’s better than nothing.

I’m curious if your son or daughter was non-verbal and then developed language, what was their breakthrough word or process to gaining some speech?  Many parents are investing countless hours and dollars in speech therapy—-any hints to help draw words from kids? 

Thanks
JEROD

Hi Jerod,

I’m the Assistant Theatrer Director/Newsletter Editor for My Place To Be in Newark. One of our fantastic kids who participated in the Drama Club performance of “A Day Among Friends” was non-verbal, I do believe.

I think part of the issue is that the children are perfectly capable of some aspects of communication, but the MOST obvious form that adults use isn’t the one that the children want to or are capable of using at the time.

There is hope, I have seen it.

Hi Jerod, Katie here…
Up until this point, I don’t remember what all I have told you about Ryan.  But I do remember how he learned to talk, and in some ways, still uses this as a form of communication.  When he was about one, he would immitate sounds to the tee, and I thought for sure he would be an early talker because he was so good at it.  Windshield wipers, blinkers, hairspray being sprayed, all kinds of noises like that he would immitate EXACTLY, it was amazing, but when it came time for him to talk…he wouldn’t say a word.  So I know what you mean about wondering what his little voice actually sounded like.  Remarkably, when Ryan did start saying words, he would get his words and phrases from cartoons and commercials, but again, immitating the voices to a tee.  We always have joked that Ryan could make money doing sound effects or voice overs for movies.  Ryan did have a speech therapist in school, when he was mainstreamed into the local school system, and I think she worked with him very well.  He probably didn’t start putting word phrases, or sentences together until about the 2nd or third grade.  Kindergarten and first grade were mainly one or two word “commands” of what he wanted.  “No” and “stop” were probably among the first few words that we actually heard.  It always amazed me that Ryan could take a phrase from a situation in a movie or cartoon, and use it appropriately for the situation that he was in at the time he wanted to use it, but it perplexed me that he couldn’t come up with just a simple sentence by himself.  Really hard complicated things seem easy for him, but the simple things he doesn’t understand.  It has always been that way. Part of Autism, part of Ryan, that is just a way he communicates.

My son Connor had been verbal up until 18 months, then we went through a year of non-verbal. He had actually started speech therapy before we knew he was autistic so they started with sign. That was the best thing anyone could have done for him and us because I couldnt communicate with him. We also have the Signing Time dvds and he still loves them years later and they helped so much. He is 5 now and still talks at a 2 yr level but to me he’s perfect.