Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day!  We all need a day of rest, relaxation, and acknowledgement.  Hope you got just what you wanted. 

I can’t believe how quickly the last five weeks of our “virtual apraxia group” has slipped by.  Sure hope you have learned a little something along the way and have been able to find some support and understanding, too.  This last group is all about next steps.  It’s about advocating, networking, and finding resources. 

Have you ever staged a scavenger hunt for your little ones?  You tell them that you are going to hide a few objects around the house or backyard and have them find them, the first to find them all–or most–wins a prize.  Well, think of your apraxia journey as a scavenger hunt of sorts.  However, you don’t always know what you’re looking for….and what you do find may not really be needed or wanted, at least not right then.  But you hold on to it anyway, just in case it does prove to be helpful along the way. 

You’ll no doubt be swamped with folks who have good intentions on how you can best help your child with CAS.  You may have one person who is an advocate for fish oil supplements, another who swears by OT as the cure-all, and yet another who claims the only answer is the Kaufman method.  It’s overwhelming for sure.  Keep a list or a file of all of these ideas and suggestions, and when you’re ready, you’ll have a lot of resouces at your fingertips.  Of course, you’ll have some decisions you need to make right away, so don’t delay on those.  Frequent and intense speech therapy is certainly #1. 

What resouces (books, CDs, workbooks, etc) have you found helpful along your apraxia journey?  Your suggestion may very well help someone else, so post a comment! 

Advocating for your child, for your needs as a parent with an apraxic kid, and for the cause itself is another important step in this final chapter.  Once you’re ready–and it may take some time–find something on this apraxia journey you feel passionate about and do something to help the cause.  Is it scientific research to determine the cause of CAS?  Is it providing education to others?  Is it working closely with schools?  Is it getting better insurance coverage?  Whatever it is, find your niche and advocate the heck out of it!  Generations of apraxic kids and their parents behind us will thank you. 

Networking with others.  I just flipped through an issue of a MOPs magazine and came across their campaign for next year…something about the community coming together for mothering…”Moms don’t let other moms mother alone.”  How true!  Why go at this alone when you can have the support, friendship, and help of others who are struggling with the very same thing?  We’re all in it together, so “Apraxia Moms” rejoice!