"Stryders Journey"

Our therapy started in January with two therapists. One came to play with Stryder and help him adjust to others while the other was a DR who specializes in speech therapy. That's when the word APRAXIA was first thrown at us.

Again, I had never heard of Apraxia, so I looked it up. The news was not good, but often children would learn to talk eventually, usually taking many, many years of therapy. I was re-leaved but hurt at the same time because I knew he would have a long road ahead of him, and us. I was afraid he would be labeled as mentally slow, although he was so bright. I also was hurt because I wouldn't get to hear those cute little things children say. Why my son? What did I do to hurt him?

The Speech Therapist (SLP) came once a week at first and then more. She had other concerns for him, although he was doing much better socially, she saw other things that worried her, but she didn't want to speculate. She told us that we should get a genetic test and also get him evaluated at MUSC, which is a Children's Hospital. She also warned us that there are children waiting to get in and have been waiting since November, so expect a long wait.

Now therapy is almost every day and the SLP has mentioned a few times that he should also be seeing an occupational therapist, but unfortunately with the budget cuts the original EI said she did not see the need.