Top 10 things that have helped Thomas become verbal in preschool this year

I have been thinking a lot about Thomas's progress and asking what caused this change. I am confident that 10 things have made a HUGE difference!

1. I had A LOT of meetings with the child study team prior to this school year, so we were all on the same page.

2.  He is in a supportive public school system now with a lot of support staff.
3.  He has an IEP, so everyone knows what needs to be done to help him succeed and are following through with it.

4.  I did an enormous amount of cognitive behavioral therapy work with him and the school this summer to lay a great foundation for this year.

5.  I set up teacher and classmate playdates over the summer and during this school year.

6.  He is one year older and more able to express his fears and discuss his feelings.

7.  I truly am his biggest advocate.  I continue to tirelessly devote the majority of my time to him and
     his therapy.  I also spend countless hours reading books about SM and SPD to better understand his
     needs.
 
8.  I really feel that the open line of communication between his new school and I,  plus the caring, 
    dedicated staff really have made all the difference in how well he is doing now. His teacher is
    awesome! 

9.  We are much, much, much more knowledgeable about Thomas's selective mutism needs than we                  were starting school last year.

10. We discovered Thomas also has SPD and have begun a sensory diet and semi regular OT.