Fingers Crossed!

One of the major purposes of this blog is to share my life experiences, good and bad.  I have to admit I feel a little self-centered when I write on here, and I hope that it never comes across that way.  Now that I’ve babbled, I’ll get to the real point of today’s blog.

If you have read my prior posts, you know that I am a mommy to a wonderful little boy who is 2.  His name is Joey and he is my world.  He is super smart and no I’m not just saying that because he is mine.  There is one peculiar thing about Joey though.  He doesn’t really talk. 

Joey does say a few things, but usually he talks with his mouth closed.  He’s been evaluated and we’re seeing a specialist.  It’s always hilarious when they ask what he does, because I can’t do it.  No matter how many times I’ve tried, I just can’t.

Obviously it is hard to understand everything he says that way, but there is a lot of it that is quite clear.  Even his speech pathologist wonders how he makes the consonant sounds that you hear when he talks.  Go ahead and try to say truck with your mouth closed.  Make sure you make the t and ck sounds.  Did it work?

Joey was born tongue-tied.  I was too, and I was unaware that it is a genetic defect.  We spoke with his pediatrician and she suggested that we do occupational therapy to help stretch the frenulum instead of clipping it.  It worked.  We used the exercises OT showed us, used pacifiers, and bottles.  We had no issues when it was time to start eating with a spoon/fork. 

We were excited when he started babbling.  As time would go on, there would be a small (but very exciting) development here and there with his speech.  We kept thinking, ok this is it! 

This brings us to now.  We are teaching him to sign along with phonics, emphasizing words and sounds that get him to open his mouth.  He’s picking up signs rather quickly and always “says” the word while he is signing.  We don’t have an answer yet, but I think it’s going to be soon.  He has to have one more test and I’m sure that’s going to be fine.

In the end we truly think he will just need to have his tongue clipped.  He will have to have surgery to have it now because of his age, but we’d rather him have to do that vs. something else being seriously wrong.

Fingers crossed!