Giggles From The Therapy Expert

When you are a child, like Elizabeth who has spent so many countless hours in therapy, you become somewhat of a pro at it. Not that it is easy, and not that she still does not resist initially, but just that you are so used to it that you know the general rhythm of a therapy session.

There are the initial greetings “Hello Elizabeth, how did is go all week for you?”, then the moment she sits down to get to work, or stand up in the case of her gym-therapy, then the description of what is going to happen, then the work and learning begin. Afterwards, I get the wrap-up, the homework, the hug from Elizabeth. Elizabeth gets the excitement of doing something new, the relief to be done and the requisite hug from EVERY therapist.

Sure there may be differences but that is the way it goes most times….but this new therapy this week was not Elizabeth’s but Michael’s.

Our little guy has a lisp, it is there and somewhat pronounced. We had him in speech earlier in his little life but he/we were unable to get him to learn to self correct, so now that he is in school we asked the speech therapist to take a quick peek at him and give an opinion. She did and we talked earlier this week. Oh and by the way this therapist is also the same one who works with Elizabeth at school. In our conversation the therapist and I talked about the lisp, and we agreed he needed to try to learn to self correct, and that we could try doing some work each night at home with him. I said yes, she sent sheets home, and here we are.

Okay……..Michael is not a willing participant, he had some strong opinions on his speech work, he had even stronger opinions on WHY he had to do it and then I had the strongest of the opinions that we WERE going to do it…PERIOD

As you can see not such a smooth entrance to this speech with Michael. The good news is we did the work and made plans for work each day. WHEW! But there are two things to tell you here. One I could not help but notice Elizabeth’s smile as Micheal was making his case(s) she was ENJOYING this scenario. I could not help but wonder if it was because for the first time in a long time SHE was on the other side of the therapy table…and I could not help but wonder how much she probably liked that new seat!!! I had to smile to myself.

And two, I need to take a moment to give such praise to those children who have to work so hard in life, who have had to do the countless therapies, to have had to do the above mentioned steps so many times that on a certain level their therapists have become their friends. Our children work so hard, and to see how much a typical child can bulk at the prospect of a small amount of therapy for a rather small situation, it is so amazing what our special children have had to face. I love miss Elizabeth, you are a strong, strong, amazing girl. I will show her this blog today after she gets home from school and tell her what I think of all she does. I offer that today might be a good day for you to take a moment’s pause for all your child has done and do the same.

Wishing you all a good day

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