First Grade: AAC Immersion and Comprehensive Literacy Instruction at Home
We started our 2019-2020 school year last week. It’s an odd schedule, but starting in July works for our family. In addition to some bigger calendar reasons to start school so early, there’s the weather and living with a trach. The heat and humidity outdoors prevented Nathaniel from being outside more than ten minutes at least one day last week. We might as well use these inside days for learning. l know one thing after a week of school. This year feels drastically different from our previous year.
We Use a High-Tech Speech Generating Device, But We Prioritize Connection
Rich and I are ETC trained. In the foster and adoption world that means we’ve taken extra classes beyond what is required for state licensure. Specifically, we’ve taken classes that focus on helping children with adverse childhood experiences, or “children from hard places” as the class creators often refer to them. The ETC training provided a window to understand the consequences medical trauma and loss of family brings in Nathaniel’s life.
Therapy Support Found for Pediatric Use of an Eletrolarynx
Nathaniel and I left his Cincinnati Children’s Hospital check up last May with an interesting recommendation from his ENT: look beyond the pediatric community for information and support. I had arrived with questions about Nathaniel’s options for voicing. They shared of another patient with a laryngotracheal separation who learned to use esphageal speech. They also expressed a great deal of hope that given the right support, Nathaniel had a good chance of voicing.
#AACAwareness: Keep the Parent Perspective
October is Augmentative Alternative (AAC) Awareness month. It is also the month annually that I have to resubscribe to the website building program I use to write and host this blog. The overlap strikes me as appropriate. My blog has slowly migrated into a site that focuses on Nathaniel and his need for communication; it is meaningful that I yearly recommit to sharing that journey during AAC awareness month.