For two of my boys, language has been hard. One remains largely non-verbal, while the other is making pretty significant progress.
Xander is starting to say more and more things, and those things continue to be clearer and easier to understand. In short, he is making huge strides from where he was just a year ago when I could count his functional words on my two hands. I wouldn't even want to hazard a guess on the number of words that he now uses consistently and appropriately, it seems to grow every single day.
That said, the language is still no where near that of a typical four-year old. He speaks largely in one-word descriptions or requests. He will occasionally say a phrase or two, generally very scripted. We go through the "Hi, how are you, good!" script a lot. There are a few others, things that he says in a specific order and that he will continually prompt you to make a specific response to before moving on. There is a slight OCD side to his language, at least in these early stages.
He's sometimes stringing two or three words together, like "more cereal please" or something similar. He's even getting better about making most of his requests with please and even saying thank-you when something is given to him. He is trying, and he is learning. We couldn't be more excited or proud of him.
Yesterday he did something that completely surprised me. He climbed up on the desk while I was at the computer, and he pointed up to our wall calendar and told me all the days in the week, in order. Whether he was reading or remembering, I simply do not know. I had never heard them before.
But the days of the week were suddenly just there. He's never said them to us at home, certainly never all at once and in the correct order. And he just threw them out there, like it was no big deal.
And I just sat there, staring at him in wide-eyed amazement.
Words. In order, as he pointed to them on the calendar. Real words, spoken clearly and as though he speaks them every single day. Words, for the little boy who has simply not had them these last few years.
Words.
I cannot tell you how much that means. Or how thankful I am, that he's been placed in a good school, with good teachers and therapists who are making such a huge difference in his life. A little boy who, with a lot of help, is finding his words.
