learning to suck

For anyone who knows anything about children born with a cleft lip and palate, there are some things that are issues for the them. Certian letter sounds for them are hard...for example, L, H,S,F and some others. Also things like sucking things from a straw.This is something that we learn to do @ birth, either learning to suck from a bottle or from being breast feed. Cleft babies have to learn this as well but is such a harder task considering their open palates.This isn't happening until their palates are repaired.

Miss Diva came to us with a repaired cleft lip and a unrepaired cleft palate. She was drinking from a cup and not knowing how to suck from a straw. When we arrived home, the cleft team in Hamilton was very impressed with her developed and told us not to worry, if she dosen't figure it out, not the end of the world. As a mom, I really wished she would have learned to suck from a straw because I don't want her going to school and being made fun of because all the other kids can drink juices boxes or from a water bottle but she can't. I didn't worry to much about this but was always in the back of my mind.

SOOOO......

One day we were outside playing and she saw me with juice that I was drinking with a straw. Of course she wanted some. I told her if she wanted some of my juice, she needed to drink it from my straw. I thought to myself....she can't drink from a straw so no worries. Well, did she ever fool me wrong.

She stayed there until she figured it out. She is so determined, she will not give up until she has accomplished what she is doing..We love you!