Matthew has also made a pretty big cognitive jump lately. He will answer yes or no questions by shaking or nodding his head. If he wants something that has been placed out of his reach, he will go get the step stool so that he can reach said item. When I ask him if he wants to read a book, he nods his head, and goes to get a book. Too great!
So, I was thinking that therapy this morning (focusing on early language development and cognition) would be a pretty happy occasion. Instead, our therapist was even more perplexed and concerned about Matthew's lack of verbal expressive language. She said this is the largest gap she has seen between cognition/receptive language and expressive language. He understands that words are symbols that mean something. He understands the words. He wants to communicate. He picks up sign language. But he doesn't verbally talk. She is concerned that there might be something structurally unique about Matthew interfering with his verbal communication. He seems to have the will, but not the way.
My gut tells me that there is just a cognitive switch that needs to get flipped (and when it does I almost expect that he'll speak in full sentences in no time), but I guess there could be something more. Matthew is unique. And as we have always noted, with Matthew being 1 of 2 in the world, we don't ever know whether he will do something until he actually does it. No one can tell us he will talk, but no one can tell us he won't either.
This appointment knocked the wind out of my sails this morning, but it has also kicked me in the rear. I had been procrastinating getting ready for my summer sign language class, but now I've been re-motivated. If Matthew's only mode of expressive language is sign, Matthew's mommy needs to learn more sign.
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| Taking Leia to the vet, Matthew loved holding Leia's leash and signing 'dog' at every dog bark. |
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