“Max never really babbled as an infant, and it was a couple of years before he started approximating a very limited vocabulary — simple words like “apple”, “no”, and “more”. After some time and therapy, the clarity of his approximations improved, and soon we were able to distinguish with varying degrees of clarity, words like “momma”, “mammi” (his grandma), “Mark” (his brother) and Lexi (his sister), along with about a dozen other words. But only recently, at age 8, has Max been able to clearly and consistently produce the sounds for “daddy”. And not just say it, but proudly yell it to the rooftops!
Max’s progress may be slow, but it continues, and the occasional payoff like hearing my son say “daddy” for the first time is a powerful reminder of that. With patience, practice and therapy we know we are giving Max his best chance of reaching his highest potential. And that continued progress gives him the confidence to engage with the world around him.”
~Wade