One Turned Back-Speech Therapy and Allison and Kristie

To be understood. That is the gift these special ladies have given to my children. They have patiently bridged the gaps in their communication and helped them articulate sounds that they never mastered. These gifts will continue long after they graduate from the program and impact every interaction my sons Isaiah and Gideon have with the outside world. This is why we continue practicing even after seven years of therapy.

Agonizingly slow. It is agonizingly slow to correct patterns practiced over thirteen years. By the time Isaiah is done, he will know exactly the position where his lips are supposed to be, his tongue, his shoulders, and even his eyes need to be to correctly produce the R sound. This is something that happens so naturally for most of us, it is almost impossible to communicate why a sound doesn’t sound correct. Yet I overhear these tips four days a week over Zoom. “Feet flat, relaxed shoulders, relax your eyes, easy not squeezy, straight back.”

Today before his meeting Isaiah told me, “I can’t believe how difficult it must be to do Miss Allison’s job.” She is the picture of patience. Never angry, but direct. Never shaming, but focused. She has been a godsend to my family. I love how she ends their meeting with the words, “I believe in you.” It is the repetition and the patience that blows me away. Her ministry because that is how she approaches her work, has allowed my son to clearly proclaim the gospel and even win a medal at the RAs speak out. He has been able to record a podcast and be understood by strangers from other countries. And while he still struggles, I don’t see people’s eyes glaze over when he is trying to communicate an idea.

Mrs. Christy has also played a crucial role in Isaiah’s speech development. I remember the sessions when he was little and she would pull out a board game and work on sh and words with l. You never realize how many words have l and sh in them until you have a child that doesn’t produce those sounds. She would get my squirrely, unfocused son to power through lists of words that focused on the same sound. She now is helping me with Gideon who likes to substitute almost every initial sound with an n. “It’s my nurn.” His word for thirsty, “poddy.” She has a multitude of sounds to correct, but he always returns from his therapy with a smile and a jump. Then he falls asleep, a signal that the therapy was very hard work for him. I see her approach to her drills and know that she isn’t doing as unto men, but as unto God.

These ladies are opening so many doors for my children, but it has got to be tiring. I want you to know that I see your service. I see your love for my children, and I am so thankful. Your work is a godly legacy and will be used to proclaim God’s love and mercy. Thank you for helping my children in ways I cannot. You are gifts from God.