Josh Needs A Talker???

The other day Josh had a sore throat and hoarse voice due to his allergies. We were in the car and he told me not to talk to him because it hurt to talk. So I didn't talk to him, but he kept talking to me. Then I would answer him, and a couple of minutes later he would say again, please quit talking to me. Hailey finally piped up and said, "Josh, you are the one talking!" He then replied, "Maybe I can learn sign language. No, I need a talker like Ashley." I explained he certainly didn't need an expensive computerized device to get him through his sore throat. But what a strange world he lives in, that he even knows about talkers. When I was seven years old, I did not know speech devices existed, much less that there was a segment of the population that needed them. I think that my children being exposed to things like autism and talkers have made them very compassionate and empathetic, and I wouldn't take that away from them. But sometimes it makes me a little sad that they have been exposed to such things so personally. Of course, they also get some special benefits at times. Not everybody has a swing inside their house! Originally posted April 2011