At 19 months old Stella was unable to speak a single clear word besides ‘mama’ and ‘dada.’ Low muscle tone was causing her speech delay. Intervention was needed in order for Stella to become aware of the muscles in her mouth, and be able to coordinate them to speak. Stella was enrolled in the Toddler Language Class for the 2010 school year and then graduated to the Language and Early Learning Class for the 2011 school year. Stella’s mom shares, “The CSH staff have become extended members of our family. They have taught me so much about my Stella. I learned to really accept and appreciate her for who she is as an individual…to look past the delays and see the beautiful girl inside. I learned techniques to help me communicate with her. I’ll never forget coming home from class one day and being able to have a real conversation with her about what happened in school!”
Stella’s speech is flourishing. She now has the muscle tone to ride a tricycle by herself and the confidence to engage in a conversation with her peers. Stella will be enrolled in a typical preschool next year.