A dentist helped a nonverbal boy speak

湖北宜昌天問國際學校 王 晶

Jutroduction

一對父母原以為他們的兒子言語遲緩是先天疾病導致的，結果因為一次偶然被一名醫生發現是舌頭打結導致的。這名醫生通過做手術使得孩子可以正常說話，整個家庭都非常感激這名醫生。除此之外，這名醫生還希望所有的孩子在出生時都能得到強制性的檢查，查看是否有這種情況存在。

The Motz family of Katy,Texas,says their lives changed after a visit to the dentist's office.

Mason Motz,6,was at Dr Amy Luedemann-Lazar's office to get teeth pulled when the pediatric dentist（兒科口腔醫師）noticed a different issue.Mason had suffered from speechdelayshis whole life.He was born with Sotos Syndrome,a genetic disorder that affects growth and development.The family thought his speech delays were due to the disorder,but it turns out that he was tongue-tied.The condition caused limited range of motion with his mouth.“He wasn't able to enunciate（清楚地念）a word,so instead of saying,‘Daddy,'or,‘Dad,'he would say,‘da...,'” said Mason's dad,Dalan Motz.

These days,life is totally different for the little boy.“He's got a vocabulary now.He's able to put together letters and words,”Motz said.The family is giving all the credit to Dr Luedemann-Lazar,whospecializes intreating patients with special needs and tongue-tied children.

A tongue-tie is a condition formed in the womb （子宮）,when the tongue doesn't separate completely from the bottom of the mouth.“It really drives the development of your face,nose and airways,”Dr Luedmann-Lazar said.Since birth,Mason had suffered from breathing and sleeping issues,which led to behavioral problems.When he ate,there were choking challenges.He also spent years in speechtherapy.

“With the amount of pediatricians we went to,should have been caught.Geneticists,should have been caught.Neurologists,speech therapists,”Motz said.

Within hours of undergoing a minutes-long laser（激光器）procedure to correct the tongue-tie,Mason started talking in full sentences.In a home video recorded on his mother's cell phone,you can see and hear Mason reciting the events of his day and attending science class.

“We see every week people with a tonguetie.Speech changes,even when they turn 30 or 40,”Dr Leudemann-Lazar said.

Mason's parents say he is now very lively.“There's nothing I can say that's enough,nothing I can do that's enough that explains my gratitude,”Motz said.Meredith and Dalan Motz say they're eager to share their story so other families in a similar situation don't lose hope.They encourage parents to seek a second opinion,sometimes,third or fourth opinion.

Dr Leudemann-Lazar says she would like for it to be mandatory（強制的）that all babies at birth bethoroughlyexamined for this common condition.

Reading Check

Parents thought their son's speaking delay was due to the inborn 1. ,but it turns out that his tongue was 2. .The doctor made Mason talk in full sentences through 3. ,so the whole family were very 4. to the doctor.And Dr Leudemann-Lazar also hope all children can have a 5. check at birth for this common condition.Language Study Difficult sentence

There's nothing I can say that's enough,nothing I can do that's enough that explains my gratitude.

翻譯：_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

【點石成金】句型There's nothing I can...中，I can...是定語從句，先行詞是nothing,關系代詞that因作賓語，在定語從句中被省略。

Using Language

Ⅰ.Important vocabulary in the text

1.delay v.延期；使耽擱 n.推遲

2.therapy n.治療；療法

3.thoroughly adv.徹底；完全

4.specializes in專門研究……；專攻

Ⅱ.Complete the following sentences in correct forms with the vocabulary given above.

1.We apologize for the in answering

your letter.

2.Different people different parts of the

process.

3.Rob was in for several years.

4.The police carried out a investigation.