January 3, 2002

Well, we survived the stage of regression! I was so worried about Halley there around Christmas. She was grunting and seemed to have lost all her words. She now is back where she was before, she can repeat words on command, though you can watch her search for the way to say it. you can see her attempt it. Her articulation has improved, just a couple of days ago, she said, "Julie", and it was clear. Instead of saying "Boobie" she says it correctly. She has since said this again correctly.
On New Year's Day, we went to the movies, I let her choose the movie--Monsters,Inc. or Beauty and the Beast, well she chose "EYE"...that would be Monsters, Inc., if you have seen the commercials you will know why..one of the characters is a big round monster with one big eye. At the movie, when it first started she was yelling out in the theater, she was so excited. I got her to whisper, though I personally did not care she was yelling. She may have apraxia, but the girl has a big mouth!!
Next week Halley and I will be flying to New York to film a tv show, will keep this site informed of the details as soon as I have them. The tv show will be shown in the NE only on January 14th, will announce dates and times as soon as I have them.

January 19, 2001

It has been a while since I have updated page, things have been very hectic, but also very busy for Halley and I. Our trip to New York was incredible, and look for in the near future a whole page dedicated to our trip including details and pictures!
As far as the speech goes, I must say Halley has improved quite a bit this month. She is now learning to say, "I" at the beginning of sentences instead of "me". She is doing extremely well, and everyday I can understand her a bit more. She is still on 2 Pro-Efa capsules a day, though I will admit she does not get these every single day, some days I miss, and actually do not notice any changes..at least negative changes. She is still learning sign language and uses it daily, though most of what she uses is verbal. She may be apraxic, though she has a very big mouth, and never stops chattering. I guess it gets frustrating still because of what she says is still unitelligible. She is able to ask questions, and her dad and I can generally understand what she says. She will ask me, "Where's Daddy?", and it sounds like just that. This morning I prompted her to say "I have it", and she said it pretty good, it sounded choppy, but sounded amazingly clear. She is now in her room singing, I can't understand the song, but I hear a tune. Her next EIP meeting is not until May, but I know she has surpassed all the goals set for her. She occassionally still grunts, and I have to remind her to use her words. Partly this could be out of habit, or maybe just somedays, she can't find the words.
My concern for her, is that next year she starts kindegarten, and where will she be then? I do not want her in a special ed class, as I like her to interact with other children with better speech than herself. Though on the other hand, I still want to protect her as children can be cruel. She is strong and has a great self esteem, and I want to nourish that and keep it that way. We will be moving in the next 6 months to a new county, and I just hope she gets the 'care' she has been getting from this county. I feel that the people who work with her in the county, take a personal interest in her, and makes sure she gets the support she needs, and the right teachers for her situation, and I just want that to continue.
I told her SLP about the trip to NY, and the Pro-Efa. I explained to her as why I did not tell her was because I did not want her to say this was the next step anyways. She told me she was glad I did not tell her, and she is thrilled to death I found the Pro-Efa. She said she does not care what caused her to improve, she did not care if Jack and the Beanstalk came down and taught her how to speak, as long as she was improving. She was extremely supportive, and I am glad I told her. The reaction I got out of her, was incredible!! I did not give her the credit she deserves either. Though she has never been the one to give a diagnosis of apraxia, I am glad she was so receptive to the Pro-Efa.
My next step in this whole process, which I have been saying for months now, is to get her a new pediatrician. She does NOT like the one we go to now, and I promised her we would not go back to him. I have recently found a new one, a lady I met on the internet who lives in my area referred me to her. Her daughter also has apraxia, and her pediatrician has been extremely supportive of giving her the proper referrals, and of the Pro-Efa capsules. I will be making an appointment with her next week, and to meet with her to discuss my concerns about Halley. I would like to get a referral to see a pediatric neurologist, to get her an official diagnosis.

January 31, 2001

Halley has been very sick the last couple of days, she has been throwing up and diarhea. Yesterday her tempature got to 103.6, and this is probably the sickest she has been. She is just not her active little self, as she just lays on the couch. She has been telling me that her tummy hurts, and she does not feel good. She had Pro-Efa last Thursday and Friday and has not had it since. She seems to still have her words, and at this point I see no regression. She has not eaten anything since Monday night, which is 3 days now. She has been drinking lots of fluids, and is just exhausted.