Finalist: Speaking of Apraxia
Title:Speaking of Apraxia
Subtitle:A Parents' Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Author: Leslie A. Lindsay
Length: 450 pages
Website:leslie4kids.wordpress.com/speaking-of-apraxia-book/
Find on:Facebook | Twitter | Google+
Scroll down for more on 'Speaking of Apraxia.'
Kate was meeting all of her developmental milestones right on target. Except one: talking. She had only one word, 'Hi.' I was excited that she had such a friendly and outgoing first word and proud that it was the one I had predicted she'd say first. When I told others my prediction, they would all say, 'You might be right -- she really likes people.'
It seemed I had a natural extrovert (how did that happen with two self-proclaimed introvert parents?!). She was smiling and saying 'hi' to strangers in the grocery store, on the playground, at the library. After Dr. Baumgartner whirled into the exam room, plopped down and smiled at us, she asked a series of questions ... was Kate doing this, doing that? Yes, yes, and yes, we nodded and smiled proudly. 'Is she saying mama and dada and a few other words?' Nope. We held our breath, awaiting her response.
Sure, I was slightly concerned. After all, I had friends from childbirth class whose toddlers were jabbering up a storm. As a first-timer, however, I didn't want to jump the gun. Kate was only 15 months old after all. She still wore diapers, took a pacifier when distressed, and was rocked to sleep. In many ways she was still a baby, and babies don’t talk, do they? Plus, I knew kids -- through my years as baby-sitter and as a child psych nurse.
We told our doctor that all Kate was saying was 'hi,' and that she started saying that around 13 months. Wasn't that good enough? Our caring doctor probed a little further and eventually referred us to a local speech-language pathologist (SLP). 'You can do it now, if you want to be aggressive, or wait until she is 18 months, if you want to take a conservative approach.'
I took the conservative approach. I finally made the call at 18 months. Kate still wasn't saying momma and I wanted to hear my little girl call my name, instead of grunting when she needed me.
I'll admit, I was totally skeptical of the capabilities of a speech-language pathologist at first. What could she possibly do to get my kid to talk that I couldn't? And this SLP didn't even have kids -- what was I thinking? But we stayed the course -- taking Kate to speech therapy weekly after the SLP determined there was a 'delay.' We'll talk more about what therapy consists of in the next chapter, but in this one, you will get a good overview of how to go about getting the help you want and need. There are lots of different routes to reach the same destination: diagnosis and treatment."
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Speaking of Apraxia is one of five finalists in the Favorite New Special-Needs Parenting Books category. To learn about the rest, go to the category index. There are seven other categories in the 2013 Readers' Choice Awards, and you can find out about them at the Readers' Choice Awards HQ.
Subtitle:A Parents' Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Author: Leslie A. Lindsay
Length: 450 pages
Website:leslie4kids.wordpress.com/speaking-of-apraxia-book/
Find on:Facebook | Twitter | Google+
A Message from the Author of 'Speaking of Apraxia'
I asked author Leslie A. Lindsay what makes her book special, and she wrote: "Speaking of Apraxia (Woodbine House, 2012) was conceived when my own quest for a book on childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) resulted in little. My then 2.6-year-old daughter had just been diagnosed with apraxia, and I wanted a comprehensive guide that would get me through the journey. This book combines a practical, straightforward approach interwoven with professional insight, parent experiences, hands-on activities, research, and anecdotes to empower parents, teachers, and SLPs alike. It's all organized very well for the busy parent -- text boxes, charts, and decent-sized text. There is nothing like it on the market specifically for childhood apraxia."Scroll down for more on 'Speaking of Apraxia.'
Reader Testimonial
In nominating the book for a Readers' Choice Award, reader Susan wrote: "In very parent-friendly terms, the book helps parents understand what apraxia is and what it is not (autism or a cognitive disability), and provides step by step tips on helping your child at home and at school and finding emotional support for your whole family. A real life saver!"An Excerpt from 'Speaking of Apraxia'
"As first-time parents, we didn't want to appear 'delinquent,' so when Kate was 15 months old, exactly, we headed to the doctor (the same one who delivered her) for her scheduled well-child check-up. I say 'we,' because both doting parents were off work for the occasion. We came armed with our wiggly daughter; along with thoughts, questions, and toddler antics to relate to our doctor.Kate was meeting all of her developmental milestones right on target. Except one: talking. She had only one word, 'Hi.' I was excited that she had such a friendly and outgoing first word and proud that it was the one I had predicted she'd say first. When I told others my prediction, they would all say, 'You might be right -- she really likes people.'
It seemed I had a natural extrovert (how did that happen with two self-proclaimed introvert parents?!). She was smiling and saying 'hi' to strangers in the grocery store, on the playground, at the library. After Dr. Baumgartner whirled into the exam room, plopped down and smiled at us, she asked a series of questions ... was Kate doing this, doing that? Yes, yes, and yes, we nodded and smiled proudly. 'Is she saying mama and dada and a few other words?' Nope. We held our breath, awaiting her response.
Sure, I was slightly concerned. After all, I had friends from childbirth class whose toddlers were jabbering up a storm. As a first-timer, however, I didn't want to jump the gun. Kate was only 15 months old after all. She still wore diapers, took a pacifier when distressed, and was rocked to sleep. In many ways she was still a baby, and babies don’t talk, do they? Plus, I knew kids -- through my years as baby-sitter and as a child psych nurse.
We told our doctor that all Kate was saying was 'hi,' and that she started saying that around 13 months. Wasn't that good enough? Our caring doctor probed a little further and eventually referred us to a local speech-language pathologist (SLP). 'You can do it now, if you want to be aggressive, or wait until she is 18 months, if you want to take a conservative approach.'
I took the conservative approach. I finally made the call at 18 months. Kate still wasn't saying momma and I wanted to hear my little girl call my name, instead of grunting when she needed me.
I'll admit, I was totally skeptical of the capabilities of a speech-language pathologist at first. What could she possibly do to get my kid to talk that I couldn't? And this SLP didn't even have kids -- what was I thinking? But we stayed the course -- taking Kate to speech therapy weekly after the SLP determined there was a 'delay.' We'll talk more about what therapy consists of in the next chapter, but in this one, you will get a good overview of how to go about getting the help you want and need. There are lots of different routes to reach the same destination: diagnosis and treatment."
Are You a Fan of 'Speaking of Apraxia'?
Tell us why you love it.
> > > Read a review of 'Speaking of Apraxia'
Meet the Other 2013 Readers' Choice Awards Finalists
Speaking of Apraxia is one of five finalists in the Favorite New Special-Needs Parenting Books category. To learn about the rest, go to the category index. There are seven other categories in the 2013 Readers' Choice Awards, and you can find out about them at the Readers' Choice Awards HQ.
