Ilse Chavez

Little steps, big voice

When my son was little I held onto every sound he made hoping it would turn into words. But as time went on, I realized his speech wasn’t coming easily. Like many parents, I told myself that children develop at their own pace but as time passed, I began to notice that something was different. His words didn’t come easily, and when they did they were sometimes hard to understand. The first time hearing that he had speech delay specifically diagnosed with apraxia of speech was tough. As a mom, all I wanted was for him to be able to express himself, to tell me what he needed,  and talk with other kids freely. Watching him struggle to communicate at times has been one of the hardest things for us. There were moments my heart ached, wishing I could take that struggle away from him. But I’ve also seen something incredibly powerful..his strength. My son works so hard for every word he says. What comes naturally to others takes patience, practice, and determination for him, and he never gives up. Finding answers, help and support has brought us closer to the help he needed and reminded us that we are not alone. With speech therapy he has made such amazing progress, and I couldn’t be prouder. I am so thankful for his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Episcopo, and his speech therapist, Ms. Brittany who have supported and believed in him every step of the way. They work hard everyday with him to encourage him and take the time to understand him. I’m truly so grateful for all the love they have poured into him. This journey hasn’t been easy, but it has shown me just how strong my son truly is. Every word he speaks is a victory and every step forward fills my heart with pride. He is finding his voice and it is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. To my baby boy, I hope you know just how proud me & your dad are, on how far you have come.. you work hard everyday, every minute to communicate and be understood, you are a wonderful little man! We love you buddy!