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Riding benefits children with apraxia of speech
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ROCK ISLAND-- He wanted to support the organization that has offered so much support to his son. So TomWelge, of Chester, Ill., found four men willing to ride 585 miles and follow the Mississippi River through Illinois in the name of the Childhood Apraxia Speech Association of North America. Mr. Welge called it the Mississippi River Apraxia Challenge Ride '09. They raised funds -- about $12,500 -- and left the Wisconsin border on Sunday morning, riding 101 miles to Rock Island, ending up at Augustana College to a standing ovation from faculty, students and parents who know the impact of childhood apraxia of speech, or CAS, and realize the good outcomes from intense and early therapy. They also realized the impact Mr. Welge and his caravan are making. "We came out to support these gentlemen on their ride to raise awareness of childhood apraxia of speech,"said Craig Benisch, RockIsland. He and his wife, Gerianne, both said it is rare and hard to diagnose. They once were told their son, Colin, now 8, never would speak. After a diagnosis of apraxia of speech and several years of therapy at the Augustana College Center for Speech, Language and Hearing, Colin is doing wonderful, Ms. Benisch said. CAS is a motor speech disorder which prevents children from planning and producing complicated movements of the tongue, lips, jaw and palate which are needed for speech. It is estimated the condition affects 1 in 1,000 children. If left untreated, the lack of verbal communication can affect many areas of a child's social, educational and emotional development. Mr. Welge's son first was diagnosed to have a form of autism. They didn't accept the label and continued to take him to neurologists and doctors, until one pointed out he may have a speech disorder. Mr. Welge's son was diagnosed with CAStwo years ago and he and his wife, Tracy, relied heavily on the Childhood Apraxia Speech Association for information on treatment for their son. "The more we learned about it, the more we knew there could be good outcomes with aggressive treatment," he said. When his son first was tested for apraxia, he did not register on any scale. After a year of therapy, he rated "moderate to severe." Now, he's rated "slight." "We encourage parents and grandparents to not sit back and waste the early years when it can have the biggest impact on a child," Mr. Welge said. Augustana students involved in the Center for Speech, Language and Hearing raised $600 for the cause, and presented it to Mr. Welge on Sunday. Colin and his sister, Claire, 12, also raised $510 for the cause. The ride continues today when the group plans to ride 121 miles to Nauvoo, and will average 100 miles per day until the ride ends Friday inCairo. 
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Today is Saturday, May 25, the 145th day of 2013. There are 220 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: The annual review of the fire department of this city took placeyesterday and made a fine showing with machines and hose carts in tip-top order.
1888 -- 125 years ago: Last night's prayer meeting at Central Presbyterian Church wascalled off due to water in the basement, residue of last week's flood.
1913 -- 100 years ago: The junior class of Rock Island High School will hold a riverexcursion on the steamer St. Paul next Tuesday.
1938 -- 75 years ago: The 75th Anniversary of the Rock Island Arsenal today finds thenation's largest ordinance manufacturing plant filling many important orders for the army.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Miss Patrice Daly, Rock Island, a senior at Rock Island HighSchool, won second place in the recent state public speaking contest held in Peoria underthe auspices of the Knights of Pythias.
1988 -- 25 years ago: Hampton's sesquicentennial committee and the Hampton HistoricalSociety have scheduled a full slate of activities, which will be held throughout the year, to celebrate the village's 150th birthday. The first celebration will be the Memorial Dayprogram at 10 a.m. May 30, at the Brettun and Black Store Museum on River Road. Therewill be a sesquicentennial display.
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