The Breakthrough When My Child with Down Syndrome Spoke His First Words

A heartwarming story about developmental milestones, speech therapy success, and sibling connection

We had been waiting years to hear what he would say.

Our Special Journey

My son Luca was born with Down syndrome. He quickly became the heart and soul of our family, but speech development presented significant challenges. We tried everything: interactive toys, sign language, professional speech therapy sessions, visual communication cards—you name it. Nothing seemed to work. He would hum, clap, and make endearing sounds, but by age three, we had grown accustomed to his nonverbal communication. Traditional speech milestones remained elusive.

Maris, his older sister, never lost faith in him. Despite being six to his three, she approached him like any playmate. She read stories aloud and created imaginative games with him, even when his responses were limited to blinks or hand claps. Her absolute favorite song was “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story—she sang it constantly, making it her personal anthem.

The Unexpected Breakthrough

Last Tuesday after dinner, Maris and Luca settled onto the couch for their usual routine. She began singing her favorite Disney tune—loudly and with theatrical flair. I was in the kitchen drying dishes, half-listening to her performance.

Then I heard something extraordinary.

A tiny, raspy voice that wasn’t hers.

I froze.

Maris stopped singing.

Then I heard it again.

“Fren.”

The dish towel dropped from my hands.

Maris looked at me wide-eyed and whispered, “Mom… he said ‘friend.'”

Luca beamed with pride. He laughed joyfully and leaned against her as if he’d performed the greatest magic trick in the world.

I was so overwhelmed I forgot to record it. I just stood there crying with dish soap still on my hands.

Building on Progress

Since that moment, we’ve been encouraging him to repeat this achievement. Another breakthrough occurred the following day during our regular video call with my mother.

My mom—whom the children call Nana Bea—lives out of state but remains deeply involved in our lives. She’s the quintessential grandmother: always ready with cookies or craft projects, even if virtually these days. We FaceTime Friday through Sunday so she can see the children, especially Luca. She’s been our strongest supporter throughout his developmental therapy journey.

During yesterday’s call, Maris decided to perform her movie song again. She twirled around the living room with her toy microphone while the phone sat propped on the table. Luca sat beside her, happily patting his hands against the floor. Nana Bea watched through the screen with sparkling eyes, occasionally joining in but primarily focused on Luca’s reactions.

“Mom!” Maris suddenly called out. “Turn it off for a second.” She was referring to the karaoke version playing from my husband Erik’s phone. Claiming she could sing better unaccompanied, Erik paused the music with a proud smile. Maris dramatically cleared her throat.

“You’ve got a friend in me,” she sang in her most theatrical princess voice.

Then came that small, raspy echo that made goosebumps rise on my arms. Luca whispered, “Fren,” just like before. This time he attempted to add another sound that resembled “mee.”

His pronunciation of “me” wasn’t perfect, but we all erupted in excitement. I squealed so loudly that the phone toppled from its stand, landing flat on the table with the camera pointed at the ceiling fan. “I heard that!” my mother shouted from somewhere off-screen. “I heard it!” While Luca clapped as if he’d solved the world’s most complex puzzle, Maris and I embraced him tightly.

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