Blogger Widgets Ender-Chan's Thoughts: Esmé Blows Minds

Monday, July 13, 2015

Esmé Blows Minds

I have casually followed Hillary Savoie's blog The Cute Syndrome for a while and, when I found out Esme could read, that blew my mind. Esmé cannot point, sign, or talk due to her limited motor skills. However, her mom (Hillary Savoie) discovered that she could read when Esmé was four. Since this is when Esme's ability was refined enough to see, Esme might have had the ability for longer. I started reading small phrases at the age of four without any instruction on how to read, but Esmé's story is truly groundbreaking. She even came up with a "language" of her own to get her points across. That alone is a profound indicator of intelligence; Esmé is gifted in language and has her own way of showing it.

Esmé is capable of forming her own opinions. She does not like mint ice cream, but she likes coconut ice cream. Though she tube feeds, she would like a taste of that coconut ice cream, just enough to bring the pleasing taste to her palette. Every time I read posts, I see Esmé's critical thinking and problem solving skills. She works around her disabilities to move, play, and do what four year olds do. Her affinity for Yo Gabba Gabba is ever present, but she would not like to be called a baby based on her disabilities.

This level of complexity indicates that oral speech alone cannot accurately determine someone's intelligence. From what I read, Esme is gifted in language and she needs a way to show it. I want her to have an eye gaze device so she can show her giftedness to others without her mom having to carry an Esme-English dictionary around with her. Though she is four years old, she deserves effective communication. She should have the freedom to endlessly ask questions, request (read: demand) tastes of ice cream, and reason with her mother about why she should get what she wants. If her giftedness is profound now, I want to see what she will do with the proper tools and as she grows and learns.

8 comments:

  1. This is a great post. I also read Hillary savoie's blog and have the same type of epilepsy Esme has. I have both medication controllable epilepsy as well as PCDH19 epilepsy.

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  2. All children gifted or not, deserve the right to communicate. It is very touching to see you care so much about this girl you have something(giftness in language) in common with. I hope that Esme can get an eyegaze device to communicate to the world.

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    1. I hope so too. I think Esmé's case speaks to me because we are both gifted in language. I want her to be able to use her giftedness effectively like I do. There is no pain like having a talent and being unable to share it.

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  3. Thank you for writing this post about my daughter. It means so much to me that her stories have touched you. That is exactly why I write about her--to share her amazing world with others!

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    1. Thank you for noticing my post. The coconut ice cream post brought a smile to my face.

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