This special needs mom is speaking out, not just for other mothers, but also for children with disabilities, showing them that their kids can communicate in ways they might never have imagined.

“I cannot describe the passion I have to help these kids,” Kaley Stymeist said. “It breaks my heart to have my own kid and kids like him who have been told they aren’t learning or capable. They are capable and they are learning.”

When St. George News last spoke with Stymeist, she was on a mission to foster unity and inclusion in schools for youth with disabilities, particularly for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves.

When Hudson was born, he was diagnosed with non-immune hydrops, a condition where his body was filled with fluid. Doctors warned Stymeist that Hudson had only a slim chance of survival, even if they managed to remove the excess fluid, and advised her to prepare for the worst. Against the odds, Hudson survived and was later diagnosed with Landau-Kleffner Syndrome, a rare epilepsy disorder, as well as autism.

Her entire approach to communication transformed when she discovered Spelling to Communicate, a form of communication for non-speakers created 5 years ago by Elizabeth Vosseller. The process begins with letterboards, where the student uses a pencil to poke holes in a stencil, spelling out words. As they advance, they move on to laminated cards and eventually transition to a computer or iPad that can speak their words aloud.

Since then, she has completed the eight-month training and is now a certified Spell 2 Communicate Practitioner. She compared the program to the master’s program she had previously completed but in a much shorter time frame. Despite its intensity and compact structure, she says it was well worth the effort.

Weekly assignments were required, along with clinicals that involved recording herself performing Spell 2 Communicate with new clients, teaching both the students and their families.

Her background in behavioral science and psychology, along with her experience as a registered behavior technician working with autistic children in special education, enabled her to connect with local families for hands-on practice and learning.

For those interested in the program, Stymeist begins with a phone call to learn about the child, including their motor skills. The first session lasts about 50 minutes, during which she assesses the most suitable boards, observes the child’s movements and determines the appropriate lessons. At the end of the session, she consults with the parents, explaining what she did and outlining the plan moving forward.

After hearing repeatedly from schools and doctors that special needs children can’t communicate, many parents eventually come to accept this belief. This often makes parents skeptical of new programs, a belief she understands all too well.

She was repeatedly told that her child had a low IQ, was functioning at a 2-year-old level at age 8 and had reached his maximum learning potential. After hearing this for many years, she was reluctant to take a chance.

“I just didn’t want to be hopeful about something that isn’t going to work,” she said.

When she decided to try Spell 2 Communicate, the impact was immediate and profound. While her son didn’t start communicating fully right away, she soon realized he knew things she had no idea he understood and could spell them out.

She always believed Hudson was capable, but she didn’t realize he was learning in the same way a 10-year-old does. In class, he absorbs information just like other kids, but without a way to express it on paper or verbally, people often assume he isn’t learning.

“It completely changes how you look at your child,” she said. “How you think of them, how you presume competence in them. And it shows, for lack of better words, that they are in there, with thoughts like we have, learning like we are, without a way to get it out. And that’s what Spell 2 Communicate does.”

Individuals with disabilities like autism often experience challenges with motor skills and sensory systems. In the brain, the sensory strip is located right next to the motor strip, and problems arise because sensory issues can impact motor function.

Stymeist explained that when the sensory system is overwhelmed and sends incorrect signals, it leads to erratic bodily movements. This is evident both from brain structure and from non-speakers who have communicated through Spellers that they can’t control their bodies.

Unlike other therapies, Spell 2 Communicate presumes competence and focuses on teaching purposeful motor skills to enable more intentional movement.

“I think the hardest thing is getting parents to have hope again,” she said. “It’s a leap of faith. I haven’t just seen this work for my kid, it isn’t one of those things where it works for mine and not for yours. This works for these kids.”

The difference between other therapies is that with Spell 2 Communicate, teachers are presuming competence while teaching purposeful motor skills so that bodies can move more purposefully.

It’s recommended to start teaching Spell 2 Communicate at age 6. Before then, parents should read to their children at an appropriate level, even if the children don’t sit still or appear to be listening.

“If you brought your child to me, the very worst that’s going to happen is that I’m going to believe in your child,” she said. “I’m going to talk to them at their appropriate age level. And you’re going to see instantly how they react to someone treating them like their age.”

Interested in learning more about Spell 2 Communicate and how it can benefit your child or someone you know? Contact Stymeist today via Instagram, email, or telephone at 530-919-5105 to explore how this method can make a difference.

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