Last week, Jonah had some HUGE developments in his speech and reading!
While I was getting ready one morning last week, Jonah got a hold of the IPAD and made his own video. From the words we can understand, we think he is inviting people (some named specifically, otherwise a general invite to all) to an Easter party at our house (he gives our address).
I shared this video with his teacher and speech therapists because I had mixed feelings about it.
On one hand, I was super impressed because 2-3 years ago, Jonah would have never tried to talk this much. For many years, Jonah would only speak 1 to 3 words at a time. Talking just wasn't his "go-to" activity. He had other ways to communicate his wants, needs, and ideas so he didn't have to string together words and talk to us. So to watch him make a 2 minute video of him just talking away is like music to my ears!
However, I am a little sad because after all the hard work and therapy, there are many words in this video that I still don't understand yet. This boy has so much to tell us and such interesting thoughts on life, and I don't want to miss any of it. He still struggles with the pronunciation of many sounds.
His teachers and therapists were quick to encourage me though. They pointed out that if this had been a conversation with Jonah, we would have had opportunities to clarify and ask him questions so we could get a better understanding of what he was trying to say. So in normal face to face interaction with Jonah, they see great improvement: he is talking more, AND he is willing and able to help clarify what he is trying to say by answering questions we ask. That is a huge accomplishment and development for him. We are continuing to move forward and that is always an answer to prayer.
This next video is a new development because for the first time ever, Jonah brought me a book and wanted to read it TO ME. Usually if I want him to read a book, I have to prompt him to sit down and read with me and then prompt him with sounding the words out. But on this day, he initiated the activity and initiated the sounding out of the words.
The other huge accomplishment this video reveals is Jonah is able to transfer his knowledge of his Edmark words (the reading program he uses at school) and read them in a non-Edmark setting. In the past, he has struggled with that. So the words he says in the video with great accuracy are his Edmark words and then the other words he is sounding out the best he can. It probably helped him that he picked the familiar story of "Frosty the Snowman".
I was so excited when he started reading aloud next to me, and I am so grateful I had my wits about me to record this interaction. So proud of him!
Ben has always been more verbal than Jonah. The issue we are working on with Ben is getting him to speak more clearly and then also an issue with social anxiety which present as silly or inappropriate responses when asked questions. He is slowly making progress, but it is definitely an uphill battle.
In terms of reading, Ben is further along in the Edmark program, but he is way more resistant to sounding out words than Jonah.
These boys:
they are the yin to other's yang :)
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