This is a really hard one. There is so much trauma associated with this. My most desired ability is to be able to speak. And yet, this is the core of my disability. It is something so many take for granted. And that some of us will probably never have.
Speech therapy that I have had is the farthest from the concept of presuming competence. Lots of my sessions were not very useful as I would repeatedly be asked to say things that I would not be able to say.
Not because I could not understand language concepts, but because my disability prevents me from getting those words out. My functional speech plateaued when I was around four and speech therapy was anything but helpful since then.
Very grateful for my last speech therapist that introduced my family to alternate communication methods and devices. That led us down a path that eventually brought us to s2c.
While not being able to speak still makes me tear up, I am grateful to have a reliable means to communicate. I hope speech therapists become more open minded about alternate forms of communication that work and that more families continue to seek what is best for them.
My love to all those that find this topic difficult.
