When the World Stopped, Discovery Began
I never imagined that a global pandemic would bring so much discovery. But for my son Noah, the closure of the world opened the door to something that had eluded him his entire life: words.
Noah is 12 and has an autism diagnosis. For most of his life, he has been nonverbal. Not for lack of trying. It was simply something none of us had ever been able to crack. As the years went on, the belief that his potential was still there began to fade, even among therapists and educators.
A Dead End With Online Therapy
When the pandemic hit, online speech therapy proved almost impossible to deliver effectively. Too many screens, too many instructions. We were lost. In an effort to preserve our sanity, we made the decision to stop and go it alone. The observations began.
I started asking myself: what can Noah do, and what cannot he do? For some reason, I started with his tongue. Specifically, his inability to tap the top of his mouth. That one observation led me to search for an "elevation tool," and that simple web search brought me to the TalkTools website.
The OPT Level One Course
A course was offered. I took a leap and registered. I had nothing to lose. From that point, everything changed. The OPT Level One course had me when Sara said, "Sound is the last thing that happens." A light suddenly clicked on.
In all these years, no one had ever started at the beginning with Noah. I began watching his mouth with fresh eyes. His tongue had no idea how to function. His jaw was constantly open. He was not chewing his food. My head buzzed with new information.
Noah working with OPT tools: bubbles, straws, and horns that built his oral motor foundation
Meeting Noah Where He Was
We found a single OPT therapist in our area, reached out, and agreed to begin therapy online. We ordered supplies and started working virtually together. As it turned out, it was not magic. We simply met Noah where he was.
We started at the bottom, building a strong foundation that was systematically added to as skills were gained. Moreover, during the closure we had nothing but time. Consequently, the family did daily sessions, sometimes two OPT sessions per day. Then my therapist created the plan, and I executed it. Noah learned, and I learned too.
"I learned how to help him. With bubbles, straws, horns, and a complete awareness of exactly where his challenges had been hiding."
Noah's Birthday Message to the World
I am so happy to report that for the first time in his young life, on his 12th birthday, Noah delivered this message:
"Hi, my name is Noah. Today is my birthday. I'm 12. Happy Birthday to me."
If there was ever a drop-the-mic moment, that was it. It is now nine months into OPT therapy. In that time, we have corrected so much. His jaw is strong and stable. Now he can chew. Then he is able to retract, depress, elevate, and lateralize his tongue. Next he is learning to breathe through his nose, and he is at the very beginning of functional verbal speech.
The Foundation Makes All the Difference
I am a yoga teacher. Every yoga pose is built on a strong foundation. Yoga requires strength, stability, flexibility, awareness, and breath. To be successful, you start at the beginning.
Thank you, TalkTools, for helping me see Noah's beginning place. We have so much work ahead of us. The difference is: we now know where we are going and how we are going to get there. I also have an entire video library of Noah's journey that I will treasure forever.
In fact, you can now watch one of Noah’s key breakthroughs on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zEnIMb0X8mI?si=CLu2oKMJrvuOm255. This short clip demonstrates how consistency, guidance, and OPT tools work together to create real progress.
With immense gratitude, Tracey and Noah Simmons, Bethesda, MD