Finding a voice through Easterseals Western and Central PA!
Jessa and Sophia Sheehan
Meet Sophia and Jessa Sheehan! The sisters share many things--most notoriously the challenges of Childhood Apraxia of Speech. This diagnosis is not for the faint of heart! Miss Annette Shearman has helped Jessa and Sophia grow in their enunciation, intelligibility, motor planning, and has served as a great resource for their parents. Miss Annette helped their parents to think about what the girls needed to be successful in the school setting. When she started at Easterseals, Sophia was about 4 years old with approximately 3-5 words in her vocabulary. Today, most people can understand about 80% of what she says! Sophia is now in 5th Grade and doing well, working on her speech and planning full proper sentences!
Miss Annette helped her mother come to the realization that Jessa, also had apraxia of speech. Jessa was a little over 1 when she began her journey. She was around 3 when she was diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech officially. She displayed poor muscle control around her lips, open mouth all the time, very few words. Jessa is now in 2nd grade and doing well!
Jessa and Sophia's mother says, "Looking back at where we started, I know we would not be where we are today without Miss Annette. She’s improving the lives of our children. I could never thank her enough for what she has given my children…. a voice of their own!"
