Jacky – a teenager with Apraxia in Hong Kong

A Voice For A Teen Who Grew Up With Apraxia

The following update is about Jacky by his mother Lily. Lily learned via the Chinese version of The Late Talker book that her son Jacky has apraxia. Jacky is now a teen and I hope that one day he is a scientist as Lily says because his story clearly shows how we need more scientists to study and be aware of apraxia. Apraxia may start in childhood but once again it doesn’t end there- it’s an impairment that can change a life…but with intervention one can learn to overcome it -and even learn to rise above!

Special thanks to Jenny for the Chinese-English Translation. I also have below the Babelfish translation as that is what Lily and I typically use and I’m super impressed with how well it translates! I am going to post this both in English and in Chinese in hopes that it helps parents who speak either (or both) languages! There are a number of very cool therapy photos in the photo section of http://www.apraxia.org which Lily has also sent -and I have a few more to add. Once our new CHERAB website is up we will be able to have all of this on one page!

~~~~~~~~~~~Lily’s letter- translated by Jenny

Jacky was in hospital because of a high fever when he was 2.3 years old. He didn’t speak and always had bad temper. Therefore he had evaluated as autism at the age 2.5. Because he was normal before 1.5, I even thought it was the injection that made him autistic at that time.

Lisa, through your help, I know the apraxia children need PROMPT SLP very much. Therefore I asked Ms Lau to teach Jacky. Jacky has ST every Saturday or Sunday afternoon at home. At first, Jacky could only pronounced /a/ /e/ /u/ and /ma/. Now his vocabulary is booming even though some of them are unclear. Miss Ho is Jacky’s teach from July 2007 because of Ms. Lau’s pregnancy.

Jacky was evaluated as oral apraxia by Hong Kong University on May 2007. They told me Jacky was not suitable for the case study and no cheap therapy could be provided. I was so mad about this, therefore I have to hire a SLP by my own.

Jacky had ABA therapy but failed. He always got angry on this. His cousin is his friend. She is a nurse. Jacky likes sport programs even though he can’t play very well. He can’t tell me what his dream is. But I believe he can one day.

Hong Kong is a seven-millions-people-lived beautiful island. Even though it is commercial, economic, still three hundred and two thousand different kind of handicapped people are under an unsound therapy service system. Neither the companies’ acceptance nor the government’s regulation to the insurance application of the handicapped children. That’s what we struggle for. HK$1,200 is given to every handicapped people by the government. Besides the early intervention, children under 18 take therapeutic classes at school for handicapped. For those who are above 18, they stay in the shelter center or factor till the end of their lives.

I love history and literature. I don’t’ have time to do what I want after I knew Jacky was autistic. I just study hard and try to help my poor son. Many experts told me that Jacky might not speak for all his life. It’s very difficult for me to understand that why many autistic children can speak, while others can’t. No one tells me that apraxia would happen to children until I read Lisa’ book – my poor son has apraxia.

My English is very poor, therefore I can’t discuss with you very often.

thanks Lisa for all your wisdom !!!

Thanks your help Jacky finds his sound !!!!

Lily in HK

~~~~~~~~~~~And since Lily and I have been communicating via Babelfish most of the time when we email back and forth as I don’t speak Chinese and she doesn’t speak English -here’s the way Babel fish translated the following. I find it fascinating that Babelfish has helped us to communicate where we wouldn’t be able to at all world’s away from each other speaking 2 different languages. Once again we have to stop and give thanks to…(think I’m going to say the computer huh?) fish for improved communication -what’s up with that?! (and so Lily can read this I’m translating this to Chinese via Babelfish and will put this below for her to read as well!) And Lily I would LOVE to come visit you in Hong Kong one day -or if you ever come here I’ll be your tour guide -maybe even making dreams come true at Disney? 🙂

Oh and PS -the 🙂 just like in life is the same in both English and Chinese!

Jacky in 2-and-a-half years old by the child development scientist, child neurology department doctor appraises is the zi4bi4 syndrome child, (when his 1-and-a-half years old, development is in normal range), because 2 year old of 3 month has a fever with gastoenteritis enters the hospital, because he does not have the language and throws a fit frequently, doctor lets him see the child development scientist. (perhaps he after 1-and-a-half years old accept the vaccine injection is taken bad …….) Does not accept the disabled child in the Hong Kong Insurance company to apply for the insurance, and does not have the legal rule; Hong Kong Government for each disabled public figure every month 1200 Hong Kong dollar subsidies, below 18 years old in study child by school (Special educational institution) therapist treatment, and has the early education. above 18 years old the disabled public figure all turns over to “疪 to protect the center”, “疪 to protect the workshop”, is responsible in addition pilgrimage …… Hong Kong is a beautiful island, it has 7,000,000 people to live here, and the economy, the trade are developed, but has in this 7,000,000 people 320,000 has each kind of different disabled public figure, this 320,000 people live in not the perfect recovery treatment service, this is also the matter which from now on we will struggle …… I like the history and the literature, but after my son is sick, I again do not discuss the literature, the history; I only then study diligently the child who diligently how to help this not to speak, many zi4bi4 syndrome experts will tell me, the Jacky possible life not to speak, I will be disappointed when will let me difficult understand, why zi4bi4 syndrome child some will speak, some life does not speak? Is the Lisa book (Chinese version), has untied the answer for me—My pitiful child has “apraxia”, these ten several years do not have any expert to tell me unexpectedly in the world to have this kind of illness to occur on the child body …… Jacky has the feeling series being out of balance phenomenon, he also has the read-write barrier. The language aspect – in Lisa under your correspondence help, I understood that needs to have one to apraxia child to understand PROMPT the spoken language therapist, in 7-2006 starts welcome to teach Jacky to Ms Lau, Jacky by only then vowel a-e-u and ma, knows how things stand to the present ascends a tone and the word (some are not clear pronunciation); In 7-2007 change by Miss the Ho teacher (Ms Lau, because is pregnant stops teaches Jacky). Jacky every Saturday or the date accept the spoken language treatment in the afternoon in the home. 5-2007Jacky treats the clinic in Hong Kong University’s spoken language to accept the language appraisal, confirmed that has the oral cavity apraxia, but they tell me, Jacky is not suitable to make the lesson plan (teaching case), therefore is not Jacky provides the inexpensive treatment (to practise teacher by student); This lets me be indignant, I have to continue please the personal spoken language therapist. Jacky once met loves the ABA therapy, but is defeated, he always throws a fit. Jacky has a friend now—Younger female cousin – (nurse first-grade student). Jacky likes any sport program (, although he is not does very well). Jacky has not been able to express him now to have any dream, I believed that will happen one day he will tell us him the dream enterprise! (book – the secret, I thought that it will be – future science!!) I very regrettable (my not English), cannot discuss (language different – Chinese and English) frequently with you. Very happy could meet Lisa, Lisa in the pilgrimage to help Jacky to change his destiny – him to start study the speech …… Thanks Lisa for all your wisdom! Thanks your help Jacky finds his sound!!!! Lily in hk

From Struggles with Apraxia to Honors; Tanner Geng’s Success

Jacky在2歲半由兒童發展學家、兒童精神科醫生評估為自閉症兒童 , (在他1歲半時,發展是在正常范圍內) , 2歲3個月因發燒和腸胃炎入醫院 , 由于他沒有語言和經常大發脾氣 , 醫生讓他去見兒童發展學家 。

(也許他在1歲半接受疫苗注射後而發病……。)

在香港保險公司不受理傷殘兒童申請保險 , 並且沒有法律規定 ; 香港政府給每位傷殘人士每月1200港幣補貼 , 18歲以下在學兒童由學校(特殊學校)的治療師治療 , 另外有早期教育。

18歲以上傷殘人士一律歸「疪護中心」、「疪護工場」, 負責余下的人生旅途……

香港是一座美麗的小島 , 它有700萬人在此生活 , 並且經濟、商業發達 , 但是在這700萬人中有32萬是有各種不同傷殘的人士 , 這32萬人生活在不健全的康復治療服務中 , 這也是今後我們奮斗的事……

我 喜愛歷史和文學 , 但是自我的兒子患病後 , 我再也不去探討文學、歷史 ; 我只有努力鑽研怎樣幫助這不會講話的孩子 , 許多自閉症專家告訴我 , Jacky可能一生都不講話 , 我失望之余更讓我難明白 , 為什麼自閉症的孩子有的會講話 , 有的一生不講話 ? 是Lisa的書 (中文版) , 為我解開了答案—我可憐的孩子有「失用症」 , 這十數年竟沒有任何專家告訴我世界上有這種病症發生在兒童身上 ……

Jacky有感統失調現象 , 他也有讀寫障礙 。

語言方面 -在Lisa您的通信幫助下 , 我明白到失用症孩子需要有一位懂得PROMPT的言語治療師 , 在7-2006開始請到Ms Lau教Jacky , Jacky由只有元音 a-e-u and ma , 到現在有數拾個單音和單詞 (有的不是清楚的發音); 在7-2007改由Miss Ho 任教 (Ms Lau 因為懷孕停教Jacky )。
Jacky每星期六或日下午在家中接受言語治療。

5-2007Jacky 在香港大學的言語治療診所接受語言評估 , 証實有口腔失用症 , 但是他們告訴我 , Jacky不適合做教案 (教學案例 ) , 所以不為Jacky提供廉價的治療 (由學生實習任教); 這讓我氣憤, 我只好繼續請私人言語治療師。

Jacky曾接愛ABA療法 , 但失敗 , 他總是大發脾氣 。

Jacky現在有一個朋友—表妹-(護士一年級學生)。

Jacky喜愛任何體育節目 (雖然他不是做的很好)。

Jacky現在還不能表達他有什麼夢想 , 我相信終有一天他會告訴我們他的夢想事業 !

(書-the secret , 我認為它是-未來的科學!!)

我非常遺憾 (我不會英語), 不能經常和你討論 (語言不同-中文和英文)。

非常高興能在人生旅途中遇到Lisa，Lisa幫助Jacky改變了他的命運-他開始學講話……

Thanks Lisa for all your wisdom !
Thanks your help Jacky finds his sound !!!!

Lily in hk

~~~~~~~~~~

And I ‘think’ this is my message to Lily…Hi Lily!!!

我的英國翻譯了為繁体中文由Babelfish ：以下更新是關於Jacky由他的母親百合。 百合學會了力她的兒子Jacky把失用症晚健談的人書的漢語版本。 Jacky現在青少年，并且我希望那他是科學家的一天，因为百合說，因為他的故事明顯地展示我們怎麼需要更多科學家學習和知道失用症。失用症在童年，但是再次它也许开始doesn’ 那裡t末端it’ s可能改变生活…的損傷，但是與干預一个可能學會克服它。對詹妮的特別感謝漢語英語翻譯。 我也有在Babelfish翻譯之下那什麼百合和我典型地使用和I’ m超級留下深刻印象对它多麼恰當翻譯! 我張貼這用英语和用在希望的中文它幫助講任一種的父母(或兩個)語言! 有在百合也送了http://www.apraxia.org的照片部分的一定數量的非常涼快的療法照片。一旦我們新的CHERAB網站上升我們能有所有此在! ~~~~~~~~~~~Lily’ 詹妮翻譯的s信件 ~~~~~~~~~~~And，因为百合和我通过Babelfish大多時間溝通，當我們反覆發電子郵件作為I don’ t講中文和她doesn’ t讲英语- here’ s方式Babelfish翻譯了以下。 我發現它魅力Babelfish帮助我們传达我們wouldn’ 的地方; t能對在所有world’ 遠離彼此的s講2種不同語言。 再次我們必須停止和給感謝對… (認為I’ 去的m說計算機哼？) 被改进的通信的- what’魚; s與那？! (和百合能如此讀這I’ 翻譯此的m為漢語通过Babelfish，并且下面將投入此為了她能讀!) 并且我在香港會愿意來參觀您一天-或的百合，如果您来这里I’ ll是您的导游-甚而做夢想可能實現在迪斯尼？ ：-) 噢和的PS – ：-)像在生活中是同樣在英語和漢語!