Young Ambassadors help spread Easterseals message
As Goodwill Ambassadors, Jessa and Sophia Sheehan are sharing their success in overcoming speech and communications obstacles from their childhood apraxia of speech disorder thanks to therapy at Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania.
The sisters work with speech pathologist Annette Shearman, who is also CEO of Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania, 232 Walnut St., Johnstown.
Their mother, Rebecca Sheehan, can’t say enough about the Easterseals program.
“Looking back at where we started, I know we would not be where we are today without Miss Annette,” Sheehan said.
“She’s improving the lives of our children.”
Apraxia is a motor planning disorder, Sheehan said.
The children have to think about and plan how to move their mouths for each word.
“They know what they want to say,” she said. “It’s about where their lips are. Everyday conversation was very difficult for them.”
The family came to Easterseals when Sophia was about 4 years old. She only had about three to five words in her vocabulary.
Her younger sister Jessa was a little over a year old when family first noticed signs of a speech issue.
“She displayed poor muscle control around her lips, open mouth all the time, very few words,” her mother said. “She was around 3 when she was officially diagnosed with apraxia of speech.”
The speech therapy has proved its value, Sheehan said.
Sophia is in fifth grade and Jessa is in second grade, and both are doing well.
“Easterseals has given my children a voice,” Sheehan said.
“Easter Seals is a bright spot in Johnstown for kids who can’t communicate.”
Easterseals Western and Central Pennsylvania has joined American Speech- Language-Hearing Association in celebrating National Speech-Language-Hearing Month in May by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of speech and language delays and hearing loss.
Celebrating its 75th year in the community, the 232 Walnut St. location offers an outpatient clinic with therapy for speech and hearing.
Shearman said signs of speech delay include not being able to say “mama” or “dada” by age 1, not being able to say the names of a few toys and people by age 2, not being able to repeat common rhymes by age 3, not talking in short sentences by age 4 and not being understood by people outside the family by age 5.
Easterseals also screens and provides outpatient therapy for hearing loss.
“We know that treatment for hearing loss has the potential to transform a person’s life,” Easterseals audiologist Sydney Black said. “Most people have no idea how much they were missing until they get hearing aids.”
Easterseals said young children may have hearing loss if the child does not alert to sound in the first three months after birth; does not respond when their name is called after 7 to 9 months; does not follow simple directions after 13-18 months; shows delays in speech and language development from birth to 3 years; pulls or scratches at their ears; has difficulty achieving academically; or is socially isolated and unhappy in school.
Randy Griffith is a reporter for The Tribune- Democrat.
