Language Processing Disorder; My son had it.

When my son was born, there seemed to be nothing wrong with him. Aside from that he was quite thin (because I was on diet when I was pregnant) he’s healthy, grossly active and with no physical deformities. Not until when he was two that we learned something's wrong.

At 2 years old, babies could normally speak more than 20 words and 2-word phrases. I could hear from my son not more than 10 words and could say not 1 phrase. I thought he would eventually learn to say more. A trip to the doctor’s office proved me wrong.

I could never forget that day, it was his vaccine schedule. He wanted the toy that was at the table of our pediatrician. So he made sounds as he pointed at the toy. The doctor asked him what he wanted, instead of speaking he made sounds and pointed at the toy. The doctor asked me if that’s how he communicates when he wanted something, if he could say at least 20 words and 2-word phrases. And I told him yes most of the time, that was how he would communicate his wants, and he could say not more than 10 words. Our doctor advised us to see a Neuro-Pediatrician.

At the neuro-pediatrician’s clinic, my son was assessed for an hour, then came the scariest time in my life, the doctor’s diagnosis. I was scared the doctor would tell me my son is abnormal, and he is mentally retarded or autistic. I guess any mother in my situation would feel the same. No mother would ever want to hear their son is not normal. The diagnosis came. 


He was with Language Processing Disorder. At first I didn’t know what to think. What is this disorder? What does it mean? Is my son abnormal? 


The doctor explained and assured me that this disorder is not mental retardation neither autism (although autistic children have this disorder). The doctor warned me though that I may expect my son to be a slow learner, and might not be able to cope up in school. She also told me that my son may develop cognitive (thinking) processing problems, and thus he may not become an achiever and may not go far in life. Though with early therapeutic intervention, these things might be avoided, but I could not expect much. She advised that my son must undergo therapy the soonest time possible.

I was devastated. I dreamed and hoped great things for my son. At that moment, it seemed like everything that I hoped for and dreamed for my son was taken away. I kept on asking myself, why me, why my son. Did I do something wrong that this happened to me. Have I been a bad mother? Did I not take care of myself when I was still pregnant? I cried a river for so many days. I didn’t know what to do. I kept telling myself it could not happen to my son. It was all a mistake. My son is okay. My denial was so strong my son didn’t see a therapist until after a couple of weeks later. And the rest is history.

My son has come a long way. Four years after the day our pediatrician asked us how many words he could say, no one will believe if I tell them my son had language processing disorder. He is now at par with his age, and is in preparatory class. And I am proud to say, he’s one of the top, and he was chosen to represent his class in a reading and comprehension competition. He may not win, but with the neuro-pediatrician’s assessment on my son, this is something. And the only thing I could say is PRAISE GOD!