When AnnaKate was first diagnosed with Rubinstein Taybi syndrome my thoughts often obsessed over this question. I know family members think about it a lot and strangers ask it very bluntly.
Will she ever talk??????
AnnaKate will be 6 in April and I have truly stopped worrying about what I can’t control. (Insert my mother’s applause here…) I used to really worry about not hearing my child’s voice, her inability to tell me what hurts or what she loves, and not hearing her say I love you. But as AnnaKate has grown, she has learned to communicate. She signs, gestures, uses communication systems (iPad, books, pictures, etc.) and does speak a few words. AnnaKate has taught us that speech is not the most important thing, communication is. She has a voice, it just may not sound like ours.
We are seeing lots of improvement in the area of communication which is exciting to see. Her SLP had me compile a list of her words and I was shocked at how many she does have.
Frequent good quality words spoken
Apple
Eat
Arm
Eyes
Me
Hi
Byebye
Mama
Dada
T-T (grandmother)
Bubbles
Go
hole
up
pop
Wilma
kitty
poo poo
Approximations
Beau (ba)
yes (ya)
grandaddy (gadada)
walk (wawa)
t t (trot)
Caroline (Kuh Kuh)
Sheila (ela)
Earline (E)
Eli (E-Lie)
yaya (more or juice...to be determined)Letters (ABCDEFGHIKLMOPRSTW)
book (kuh)
crate (tuh)
AnnaKate (tuh)
potty (papa)
soap (o)
gymnsatics (tics)
yoga (ga)
AnnaKate has a huge signing vocabulary. She picks up signs very quickly (thanks Signing Times…) and sometimes even creates her own.
So, to answer the question…”Will she ever talk?”---Yes, she WILL communicate!
Billy and I married in 1998 after dating for 6 years. In 2006 we adopted AnnaKate. We were lucky enough to meet her birth mother and take her home from the hospital. At about 4 months old, AnnaKate was diagnosed with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome. Through all of AnnaKate's struggles and delays she surprises and delights us daily! Thanks for marking this spot and coming back often to check in on us.
