My grand-daughter Alysa came to live with me a few days after this past Christmas. We were strangers. Alysa could not speak well enough or often enough to let anyone know what she wanted. She had been removed from her parent’s home do to neglect. Alysa literally screamed all day, every day, throwing herself against the walls and the floors, flailing her arms and throwing things. One of the first things she was evaluated for was speech. She doesn’t scream anymore. She talks. A lot! She uses full sentences and she can tell me if she is hungry, wet, has pooped, wants milk or can’t find her toy. In short, she is a completely different child. Less angry, less afraid and much more able to recover from the first 2 years of her life. Alysa turned 3 yesterday. DSS has recommended that my husband and I assume custody. Now we are looking forward to it. Before Alysa learned to express herself, I’m not sure we could have been willing.
