Co And Simplify

McKenna said "Co" yesterday for "Cole". That was definitely the highlight of her therapy time. She had another session where she did well for the first part and completely "checked out" for the last part. Overall she was computing very slowly and getting stuck on words. She had gotten up too early. I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.

Ms. T. said not to get discouraged that every session will not be like last time and to focus on the good parts of each session.

This week McKenna has been speaking in an organized sentence, but it sounds like this:

"meh meh nuh nuh nuh CHOO CHOO meh nemeh neh mu uhuhuh HOLP!"

That means: "come see- my train fell off the track and I need help putting it back on."

Ms. T. feels it's good that she understands sentences and how they are structured and that she's trying to imitate normal speech, BUT it's bad because McKenna bites off way more than she can chew. She keeps telling me that we all need to speak very simply to McKenna so that she tries to imitate that. I can't figure how I can get Dave and Cole to simplify their languge. Dave maybe, but at age 4- Cole is very articulate and elaborates MUCH and I'm just not sure how to get him to talk simply to McKenna.

McKenna will say, "Uhhhhhh Oooooo" . . . and Cole will translate, "Oh you mean you are scared there is a monster in the closet and you thought you heard him snoring?" (-:

I tried to work on vowels all week with McKenna and it really didn't go well. She would give 1 or 2 tries maybe and then just give up. Ms. T. suggested I try and sneak it in more than outright asking her to say something before I reward her with whatever the incentive. I'll have to take this advice because a lot of the time the incentive isn't working. Meaning she just gives up and decides she doesn't want a cookie that much and walks away. Also I'll take her first or second try and tell her "good trying McKenna" even if it wasn't even close to accurate.

The way I'm supposed to sneak it in is while I'm getting her a cookie I repeat over and over "oo oo oo" "oo oo oo" as I slowly take my time getting it and giving it to her, hoping that she'll be inspired to imitate me. It may take a while before she starts imitating so I'm to be patient and not give up. Ms. T. continues to insist that drilling over and over and over is the way McKenna will learn to speak.

McKenna continues to have lots of problems with her vowels. She seems to be progressing much faster with her consanants even though that's not our focus. She has all by herself started really working on finishing her words this past week. However if her vowels remain all mixed up the way they are she will continue to have big problems with inteligibilty and this is with a one word utterance in mind. EVERYTHING falls apart when she attempts two words together.

McKenna *IS* improving and I do see it, but it all still seems overwhelming and a very slow road.

One day at a time is a very good motto. I'm doing really well for the most part living that way with her.

Thanks for praying!

Love,
Amber