Author: Kate Ross

Within my university classes recently, we’ve been discussing the educational system and how it may be a disabling factor for some of our students receiving educational support. This has been my career, mind you, so my hope is that I didn’t lose many of the following kinds of opportunities. I recall a day walking the halls with a preschooler (3-4 years old), who was nonverbal, having said limited, if any, words to this point (we’d met this child as a near three-year-old). The child and I were taking a break from the chaos of the classroom, which was occasionally necessary best practice due to their sensory processing issues. We stopped by a large poster on the wall and I crouched to their level. We stared at the picture together, or I stared at the picture, but the child apparently stared at the words. Suddenly, I heard words arise through their voice and noted that those words were on the poster. It was only 2-3 words, but they were definitely on the poster. I stared at the child now, and repeated those words, as was customary for me (always repeat what the limited-talker is saying to acknowledge and encourage). My smile was so broad as we returned to the classroom together, where I was immediately pulled into my classroom duties, tending to the large group of children again. I held my excitement until the children left for the day, then shared with my colleagues. Is our nonverbal child actually hyperlexic and able to read? We never pursued this factor at that point in time due to the number of needs in our classroom, and the lack of adequate staff. It was definitely a lost opportunity that obviously haunts me to this day. However, we must not get bogged down with lost opportunities, but instead learn from them, which I believe I did. Going forward, I observed carefully the possibility of hyperlexia in young children, especially those who may not yet be using their voices.

Having recently read Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey’s book entitled, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (2021), I am pondering about how our educational and medical systems are right in the midst of all of this. Currently, humans are experiencing trauma on a daily basis due to some uncontrollable factors. The uncertainties of our lives – continually wondering if we might get sick, who of our friends and relatives may be next to die, and the chaos in our government institutions – all of this goes against the consistency in routines we crave, being with caring others, and the community spirit that is continually discussed in the book. Our natural rhythms in life have been drastically disrupted. I’m hopeful with Perry’s statements that we grow out of trauma, we become resilient as long as pieces of the puzzle are put back into place for us and with us fully involved through our own control. Our brains truly are malleable and hopefully, we can get there likely with some adaptations. What are your thoughts?

I’ve created this blog as a place to inform, to ask questions, and for discussions to occur. I walk many paths in life and love to stay in touch with like-minded others on each path, so please join me on any paths you wish.

• Speech-Language Pathologist
• Early Childhood Educator
• Family member of brain tumor survivor
• Labradoodle owner

I’m hoping discussions can be rich and respectful, and that perhaps we can share bits of humor to help us get through daily life routines. Share stories of children, of caring for others, of just being friends. Let’s make it pleasant, while perhaps learning from each other. Hoping to hear from some of my website users.

Sol lucet omnibus! The sun shines on everyone . . . and that’s the truth. Let it in!

Thanks as always. Hope you’re enjoying this rainy weekend,

Kate