It’s hard to explain how global apraxia affects so much
We went on a Santa Train again this year at Georgetown Loop Railroad. Ashlynn has never talked to Santa before. When she was 3, she cried and clung to her dad for dear life. When she was 4, we went on a different Santa Train, and though she wasn’t scared, she was too reserved to say anything audible enough for him to hear.
This year a four year old girl was sitting across from us. As her parents were asking her what she was going to ask Santa for, she eagerly said she wanted another Elsa doll.
Ashlynn’s not really into Frozen, or any movie really. Though each year we try, she just has no desire to sit and watch TV…much less a movie. As for toys, we took her around a toy store three times leading up for her birthday, and though she was mildly interested, it’s just not like the “kid in a toy store” image that might usually come to mind.
Fortunately, I have my friend Kim, an SLP who also has a son with global apraxia. I also have a 7 year old client with it too, and interestingly enough, they all are similar in these areas. They don’t have an overt interest in movies, TV, or toys. Why? I really don’t know. The toys I think has to do with their struggle to play with toys they would cognitively be interested in, but can’t mainuplate because of the gross and fine motor apraxia. That happened to her last year when she actually asked for baby clothes but then couldn’t put them on or take them off the baby. To engage in imaginative play is equally as challenging due to their delayed speech and language skills. Who knows.
All I know I I started to feel sad listening to this four year old chatter away about what she wanted….until it was Ashlynn’s turn to sit with Santa. Though he kept asking her what she wanted, what she wanted was to talk. She asked him “What’s this?” and “What are you doing?” until he smiled and then moved onto another kid. As he was walking away, she grabbed me frantically and said, “I need presents!!”
Smile
Oh Ashlynn. That’s my Ashlynn and she’s perfect and in that moment I had nothing to be sad about. All she wanted, all she’s ever wanted is to engage people in conversation, and then as an afterthought she thinks about herself. Even then though, she had nothing specific. Just presents. From the outside I’m sure she looks like a typical 5 year old, and it’s hard to explain just how involved her needs are, or how they affect so much.
However, today, she asked for presents from Santa Clause just like a typical 5 year old and she will find them waiting for her on Christmas morning.
