Special Needs

As a teacher, I have had many opportunities to work with special needs that have ranged from minor to quite severe.  Before I had children, I had definite opinions about how the parents should approach these special needs.  I had tons of "I never would ______.  I always would ______."

Then,

God blessed me with some children with some special needs.  My first experience was when we figured out our daughter was allergic to tree nuts.  I read the websites, I informed our families of how menu choices would have to change, and I took all nuts out of our home.  Then, with the help of a dear friend, I tackled a school system and their need to serve banana nut bread.

This school year, we have also dealt with some issues surrounding our daughter's free, often distracted spirit...and her academic struggles.  This has led me to sit on the other side of the table....and listen as they discuss my child like she is a statistic.  It has also caused me to explore some options I said "I never would..."

Now, I am blessed again with another special child.  The speech therapist says its apraxia.  Speech apraxia is defined as...
A severe speech disorder characterized by inability to speak, or a severe struggle to speak clearly. Apraxia of speech occurs when the oral- motor muscles do not or cannot obey commands from the brain, or when the brain cannot reliably send those commands.
I have spoken to several speech therapist and teachers.  I have heard the technical definitions.  I have listened to the opinions of how successful speech therapy can be, what the future looks like, and success rates with others diagnosed with apraxia.
Yet, somehow, I can't read all the websites or watch the videos of adults who suffer with speech apraxia.  There is a part of me that just doesn't want to know what could be.  I just want to hold out hope that one day he is just going to start talking and never shut up.  I want him to have a normal, speaking future.  I want him to grow, participate in a general education classroom, praise Jesus, play sports, go on dates, get married, and have a family. Does that make me crazy?  oblivious?  Am I sticking my head in the sand?

I am unsure of what I am becoming.  However, I do not want you to judge me.  I just want you to support me...let me stick my head in the sand as long as I want.  When I am ready, I will pull it up.  

As for my teaching career...Now, I want to try and understand the parents of my students...no judgements, no overwhelming advice, just try to understand where they are coming from in their process of acceptance.