Communication

Jessica, a mom of a baby boy with RTS, asked me about how we communicate with Natalie, and it got me thinking more about non-verbal communication. Of course, we pray that Natalie will speak, but it's definitely not guaranteed. I don't know if there's an official statistic, but it seems like somewhere around 50% of kids with RTS speak, and 50% use something else as their primary communication method.

Natalie communicates with us through sign (more, please, all done), grunting, smiling, pushing a hand away when she doesn't want anything, pulling a hand when she wants something, reaching for something she wants, crying when she doesn't get what she wants. Usually, we ask her if she wants something and we can tell by her physical response whether she wants it or not. We also tell her to do things and she responds by doing them: she will go to her room to get ready for bed; she will go to her high chair for a meal; she will bring things to us that we ask for, etc. She also occasionally says a few words...the other night at a restaurant, I heard her speak "more, please" but it was softly, and not very clearly...anyone else probably wouldn't have understood what she said. But she does speak some things, maybe once a week she'll actually speak something that will get me excited...that was one of those times.

It's very encouraging that she understands so much of what we say (Tom and I spell to each other to keep Lukas AND Natalie from understanding us), and even if she doesn't speak in the next few years, she may still eventually speak. Lorrie has told me that her RTS son didn't start speaking until about age 16, and now he talks all the time!

Anyway, we need to work more with Natalie on language: both signing and encouraging her to speak. I read somewhere that an RTS child who began getting therapy while riding a horse, started speaking more, so I often work with Natalie on verbal language while she's in the swing (our closest thing to a horse!) There are SO many techniques out there, and maybe one will flip the switch for Natalie. Or it could just happen in her own sweet time.