More than one

Words. When people ask about Grant, or meet Grant, it's usually his lack of words and lack of communication which make the strongest impact and "bring it home" to them. Other concepts like sensory issues, social skills, etc. don't have the same effect. But "he doesn't talk", now that hits hard.

Words. In the early days, his 3rd through 5th years, the communication gap was so bare, so basic, that it was almost raw. There were maybe 3 or 4 things where he could get his point across and it had to be something physical that he could drag us to, other than that, it was just a guessing game. But then, somewhere around that 5th year, he grasped probably the single most important concept in his quest for communication. He learned how to communicate yes and no. "yes" was sign language, "no" was verbal. He learned the power of those words quickly - he could say "no" to something he didn't want or like, and we would respect his wishes. Even though he has learned so much and shown so much progress since then, "yes" and "no" are still the most powerful tools.

Words. When communicating with someone, we expect certain things such as respect, to be addressed, and that the speaker will also listen when he/she is done. For Grant, of course, it was just a one-way street for so long. We would talk to him. We would say his name. He might try to say something, might try to sign something, but he had no indication of a desire to continue communicating, to listen and respond. While he has been able to say his sister's name for a few years now, it was never in direct communication. Until 6-7 months ago, we never heard our names leave his lips. But now, saying "up, Daddy" or "throw me, daddy" are common (although learned from much repetition). Not only does he try to address us, he does so in such a way that he wants a response. And from our response, he may follow with another instruction or desire.

Words. Put a few words together and you've got a sentence. Put a few sentences together and you've got a thought. Put a few thoughts together and you are communicating your feelings, your imagination, your desires, your fears. And so we shower applause on Grant as he moves beyond just words, and into sentences. This weekend, at two separate times, he put several words together to speak a sentence. "cup ice water juice please daddy" and "bread please mommy".

He spoke. We listened. We spoke. He listened.

Communication.