A young girl with the same condition as football pundit Chris Kamara has been awarded a military medal for her efforts to try to lead a normal life. Evelyn Miles has verbal dyspraxia, which means that although she’s bright and cheerful, she struggles to even say her own name, and easily forgets frequently used words.
For a seven-year-old, who moved to Bristol four years ago, that’s a huge challenge when it comes to fitting in at school. Now Evelyn, from Stapleton, has been recognised for her efforts to overcome her condition, with an award from military children’s charity Little Troopers.
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The seven-year-old lives with her mum, dad and brother Oscar, 11, and was diagnosed with verbal dyspraxia and speech sound disorder when she was just two years old after moving back to the UK from Germany.
The rare condition means that Evelyn has the comprehension and desire to talk and communicate, but lacks the ability to execute sounds.
Her mum Melanie said Evelyn is a bright and bubbly child, but she just struggles with speaking, and that has a big impact on her life.
“Despite not being able to communicate her full feelings, tell a complete story or annoy her brother as much as she would like, Evelyn is such a funny, loving and beautiful person with an incredible sense of calm,” she said. “She loves rainbows, cars, unicorns and fairies and wants to be an ambulance driver when she grows up.
“She also adores her brother Oscar who is amazing with her. He understands her like no one else and as well as treating her like any sibling, with wrestling matches and name calling, he is her biggest cheerleader and is so patient with her,” she said.
Melanie said Evelyn is highly aware of her challenges and becomes anxious at school and in peer group settings. Because of her disability, she struggles to make friends or get invited to parties. She also finds physical skills challenging, such as swimming or riding a bike, because she tires easily from the motor-planning requirements of co-ordinated movements.
Verbal dyspraxia is a condition that only affects 0.1 per cent of the population. Last December, football pundit Chris Kamara announced he’d been diagnosed with the condition and made a poignant TV documentary Lost For Words, about the condition.
As well as being challenged by the condition, Evelyn is also from a military family, with the extra challenges that entails. She’s moved home twice before coming to Bristol, and Evelyn’s father regularly works away from home for long periods, which puts a strain on their relationship.
She’s now been awarded a Little Trooper of the Month award by Little Troopers, the charity set up to help the children of military personnel. “Despite everything, Evelyn is described by her family as kind, thoughtful, loving, funny and determined,” said Louise Fetigan, the founder of Little Troopers. “Her days are filled with sound and word practice alongside the same school work as her peers. Through her perseverance, she has learnt how to say sounds, how to blend and how to speak and she is always exploring new ways of making herself understood and methods of communication.
“Our Little Trooper of the Month award scheme is all about recognising military children who have been inspirational and exceptionally brave against all the odds and Evelyn is just that. We are amazed at the determination she shows when it comes to communicating and we are so pleased to hear that she has a brilliant big brother by her side, cheering her on every day. We hope this award and medal helps her to see just how special she really is and how she makes her family proud,” she added.
Evelyn gets a medal, certificate and £50 gift voucher as part of her award. “Military life brings adventures and challenges and Evelyn’s verbal dyspraxia has made the whole thing that much harder, but Oscar and Evelyn are a brilliant team and we are super lucky to have them,” said mum Melanie. “We are so proud that Evelyn has been named Little Trooper of the Month and we hope it helps raise awareness of verbal dyspraxia and its challenges,” she added.
