Support That Builds Speech, Safety And Real Life Skills
From Kicking To Communicating:
One Boy’s Big Leap Forward
When Jess first started working with this boy, he was constantly on the move. Jumping off stairs. Kicking his younger sister without understanding how hard he was hitting.
“There was no safety awareness at all,” Jess said. “He didn’t even realise how much he was hurting her. She’s only three or four.”
The goal was to help him build his speech, manage his energy, and feel more in control of his body. “Mum wanted support with his communication. He was still learning, just starting to build up speech.”
The team also knew they had to do more than just watch him. They needed to engage him. So Jess set up daily activities built around movement, speech, and motor skills.
Engaging Activities That Replaced The Behaviour
They created a mirror activity so he could watch himself speak. They practised tracing and writing. Every time he mispronounced a word, Jess would gently correct him: “Look at my lips. This is how we say it.”
As the activities grew, the behaviour changed. “The more we engaged him, the less he jumped. He stopped kicking. The behaviours just disappeared.”
His parents were stunned. “They told me, maybe he was just bored,” Jess recalled. “Now he’s active in his physio, motor skill sessions, and all his learning time. He’s focused.”
Learning To Sit, Speak In Sentences, And Read On His Own
This little boy couldn’t sit still before. Now, he can sit and focus on tracing, writing, and reading. His speech has taken a massive step forward too.
“He used to use just one or two words. Now he’s using full sentences,” Jess said.
“He’s building up to conversations. It’s kind of like when a three year old starts figuring out how to speak, they go from single words to full thoughts.”
And the most unexpected surprise? He can read. “One day he came to me and read the word ‘emergency.’ I said, are you kidding me? You read that?”
Now he knows the alphabet, can count to 50, and sings along to all the kids’ poems. “He’s more into communication now, which was our goal from the start.”
From Special Needs Bike To Riding Just Like Any Other Kid
There’s been a visible shift in his physical safety too. Before, he had a special three wheeled bike with a belt and side arms for safety. He needed it. He had a two storey house and used to jump down the stairs.
Now? He rides a regular bike. “A normal bike, just like other kids,” Jess said proudly. “And he’s not jumping off anything anymore.”
From kicking to counting. From silence to songs. This boy has made huge progress, just by being engaged, supported, and given the time he needed to grow.