Welcome

Welcome everyone to the first post of this new blog.

It has been three years since we've been on the speech delay journey and in that time I've learned a lot, but I've also struggled a lot. It feels, often, like I'm completely alone in all of this. That none of my family or friends really understand what it feels like to have a child who isn't understood. And with that comes it's own challenges. 

I think it would be great to build a network. I've joined countless Facebook groups, read many forum posts and spoken with professionals in this field, but it doesn't take away how it feels.

Mostly, it's draining. It's draining trying to guess what your child is saying to you and then getting it wrong. And if you, mummy, get it wrong, it's so much worse than if someone else does. Because you're the one who is supposed to understand. You're supposed to be their safe space. I live on edge of the next tantrum and meltdown, but I also live for the moments he says something and it's so wonderfully clear and understood. The joy it brings me is like nothing else.

But anyway, we'll get onto that. Firstly, I'm a solo parent. I've been doing this Mummy thing for almost 5 years now. I'd like to keep this anonymous to start with, so I'll refer to my son as C. I'm in my mid thirties and we live in Surrey/Sussex. 

C was born with glue ear, large tonsils and large adenoids, which has resulted in a significant speech sound disorder. C attends a COIN school, which is - in essence - a mainstream school but with a speech and language unit attached which provides immersive and intensive speech therapy for children within the borough who have significant issues. We had the fight earlier in the year to get an EHCP for C so he could stay on at reception (given it's not our local school and the commute is an absolute ballache) but we got this so that's good.

I'd love, if you feel able or willing, for you to introduce yourself in the comments and what stage of the speech delay process you're going through. Hopefully, things I say here will help. 

XOXO