I work with many children who have comunication disorders. Basically, they can either have problems with receptive comunication(understanding what they hear), or expressive communication(getting out what they want to say). It is the most frustrating thing for me, to work with bright children who just cannot talk, or express themselves. There are many ways other than verbal speech that a child or adult can use to communicate with others. There is sign language, yes, even the hearing can need to use sign language, PECS which is a Picture Exchange Communication System. With PECS, the child has a number of pictures, and can selesct the picture which will represent a want or need. For ex. if the child is hungry and wants cookies, he can select the picture of a cookie, and hand it to his mother. She will know what he wants, and he will get it! Pecs can go from very simple ideas, to complex sentences.
Another thing is augmentative communication devices. These devices have the same idea as PECS, using pictures, but instead, the person will press a button that will say a word or sentence. Again, it can be as simple as one word, or as complex as thoughts and ideas, all depending on the functioning level of the child. These devices can be quite small, and discrete, so the person may cary them wherever they go.
I bring this up because it is quite frustrating for these children who cannot express themselves, but KNOW what they want. Imagine if you couldn't talk...really think about it. You couldnt talk or write, how upsetting life would be. Many parents are afraid of allowing alternative forms of comunication to be used with their child, because they want them to TALK. BUT, if they cannot talk, isn't it better to use these methods? It increases indapendence for the child, and decreases frustration!
Well, I rambled on long enough...any thought on this matter?
Love, Dara

That's really fascinating (no, I still didn't get cleaned up yet, I know)!  You're doing such good work, and you write so well about it.  I'm really proud of you.  When I was a child, if the doorbell rang, if anybody came to the house, I had to go hide in my room, and I absolutely could not come out until the visitor was gone.  And if I found myself confronted with someone like that, I couldn't communicate.  I know this is different, I guess, but what do you think that was?  Was that like a social disorder, based on anxiety and panic, or what do you think it was?  It had something to do with my abuser; he would come and visit, so anyone who came and visited like that, I had to hide from.  Oh, how I wish I didn't remember any of this!  I know I'm way off topic here, but this is one of my disabilities.  It evolved and changed as I got older, but I still have it.  Like that JJ guy, for example; I cannot reply to his emails, I cannot talk to him.  It's just like when I was a kid.  I have to hide from him, because he wants to hurt me.  I'm not nearly as smart as people think I am, and I was just wondering if anybody knew what this thing was, what it is called.  I've got disabilities up the wazoo, baby; I've got a million of 'em.  But just this one is enough to be curious about for now.  Thanks!

Well, what you are explaining sounds familiar to me! it sounds like a good ol' coping mechanism that has helped you avoid uncomfortable situations in the past. I understand this, as when I was a kid, I just didn't talk to anyone, because talking was dangerous in my family. Now, when things get uncomfortable, I shut down and cannot talk. I dont know of an actual lable for this, but I do know it is a coping mecahnism!
You are just doing what you know works! Tahts all we can do. And it becomes apart of us. I hope this helped a bit!
I do understand, and i do think it is related to anxiety as well.
Got to run out now!
Love, Dara

Thanks so much, Dara.  That sounds right.  Nothing I said was right anyway to those people, so I just hid and didn't talk.  I knew they wouldn't understand anyway, so I just avoided them.  It was definitely part of the whole abuse thing.  I love you, sister.  Thank you.  I'm really proud of you.

Dara!
I would like to thank you for posting this hear! It is a disorder that I was unfamiliar with  and I hope it spreads awareness to others to give a moment of time to think about what having this disorder woud be like! Plus you have done a wonderful job here tryin to educate others about this disorders what I have read is very interesting! Especially about Pecs! I can understand the dillemna for Parents when they want their children to be able to live normal lives and be able to talk but sometime we have to realize that helping our children is the most important thing even if it is with a method they may not like sometimes it is hard for a parent to watch their children suffer and know that the only way they can help is by using this methods! But I agree with you to Dara these methods would help the child to live a semi normal life! thoght it can be hard for both the parents and children! I think we work in the same fileld and I appreciate what you are doing working with kids I am so proud of what you do! You should be proud of yourself! You make such a difference in these kids lives! You give them hope and encouragement and I agree with Steve you write so well abou this topics so well and offer so much insight! in this topic I have learned so much from this post and I thank you. Steve I agree with Dara I think what you experience is a coping mechanism. We deal the best ways we can shun away from things that bring fear into us! I suffer from the same kind of disorder! I think it is alot of social issues to  fear of rejection and such I suffered this too! I suffer from anxiety disorder and I may do a post on that here to! Thank you Dara for helping with wonderful topics here to promote awareness and so much more! You are a wonderful person and you offer so much to so many people! I am so proud of you dear! You have patience more than you know of I know it can be frustrating but working with kids you need compassion and understanding as well as patience! I love you for who you are and what you do to help heal yourself and make this world a better place by trying to heal others!
                                                                 Love always,
                                                                Chrissy

I am going to read upon your post again it was very interesting!

Nice conversations between you and Steve on this It is good to see some good conversations here! This place is doing so well!