Grandma Nan, Our Honorary Speech Therapist

Even though no one ever mentioned speech delays in the referral paperwork or updates we received for Kiera and Matteo, let alone officially diagnosed them, they have significant delays. Thankfully we knew of these delays because we thought to ask questions about their speech when we requested updates during our long wait to travel.  However, for children with special needs adopted from abroad, you won't fully understand the extent of their diagnoses until you meet them and then have them evaluated by a doctor back home. 

We arrived home with a two-and-a-half-year-old and a three-year-old who each couldn't say more than five words in any language.  I pushed as hard as I could to have them evaluated as soon as possible because I didn't want to lose any more precious time, but also because my maternity leave was about to end.  We quickly scheduled surgeries, (ears for both, cleft palate for Matteo) but they did not magically spur my children to suddenly speak in clear and complete sentences like I had hoped.  So we moved onto speech therapy.  That is where Grandma Nan stepped in. 

I was so excited to get Kiera and Matteo started, but the speech therapist laughed as she reminded me that they're not miracles workers.  Speech therapy requires long-term commitment,(for us, that will mean years) persistence and practice.  I want to give my children all the resources available to reach their full potential, but what Chris and I are both lacking right now is time.  We can't take that kind of time off work to make sure the kids get to the six appointments weekly between the two of them. 

Grandma Nan is the reason we can sign them up for the intensive speech therapy they need.  We were able to start them right away because Nan had the flexibility to accommodate whatever openings the therapist had her tight schedule.  I type the appointments into our shared calendar app and Nan takes care of the rest.  She brings the kids to their appointments and then sends Chris and me page-long, detailed reports of what Kiera or Matteo worked on that day.  We read about what words or signs they practiced, activities or techniques the therapist used to help them develop certain sounds, and what the kids need to practice at home. 

The benefits of Nan's participation in the kids' speech therapy extends beyond being able to attend the appointments.  When you're one of four children, one-on-one time with someone special like a grandmother is precious.  The kids love the individual attention and I think Grandma enjoys the opportunity to bond with her new grandchildren.  Ever the patient teacher she is, she works in additional speech practice and reinforcement of what they learned in the sessions as she goes about her one-one-one time with Kiera or Matteo.