By Leslie Lindsay

I love resources.  I can’t seem to get enough books, websites, hand-outs, magazines and journal articles.  I love them!   Some people may refer to this as being an information junkie.  I, on the other hand call it nerdy.  And that is okay–for I take pride in my nerdiness!

But when it comes to our kids, we can’t afford to not be a nerd.  You see, when my own daughter was diagnosed with CAS (apraxia) in 2007, I was determined to find some answers.  And while there are a great many webites and groups that have some good information out there, I was still lacking in something…and that something by-the-way is the human connection we all crave.

I began Small Talk: All About Apraxia, a small-group in which parents of children with CAS could gather and get a little education on this complex neurologically-based motor speech disorder.  It was great to see all of the eager faces.  And while we all had a great time learning, chatting, and sharing tid-bits of news about childhood apraxia, some of us needed more.  More information, more education, more connection.

You see, CAS is a journey.  It doesn’t just start and stop.  It meananders and dead-ends.  It looks different from a birds-eye-view than it does close-up.  It feels different when you are the parent versus the preschool teacher.  It sounds different when you are child with apraxia versus a typically-speaking peer.  Each child with CAS is an individual.  There are no two children with CAS who look and sound exactly alike.

And I know you need resources.  You’ll need them now and you’ll need them next year.  Don’t fret if you don’t yet know what those resources are, or where to find them.  You will.  But for now, you can start with remembering what others say.  Jot down a website or the title of that book someone at your church/school/coffee shop recommends.  Make an effort to reach out to someone on that listserv who is where you may have been 6 months ago….

While you may not run home and go directly to that website your neighbor told you about or dash off to the library to get that book–that’s okay–but you at least have heard of it.  Store it away.  Keep it safe.  You never know when you–or your kiddo–might need it.

Here are a couple of webistes, downloadables, and free apps you may want to know about.  It may help you today, it may help in the future.

From North Shore Pediatric Therapy: 

http://nspt4kids.com/about-nspt/resources-and-downloads/?utm_campaign=Robyn&utm_source=Robyn

My book, Speaking of Apraxia: A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Apraxia of Speech is available now for pre-order through Woodbine House (www.woodbinehouse.com) for a special introductory rate of $19.96 (price later will be $24.96).  You’ll find everything from getting a diagnosis to ways you can help at home, to family and child coping.