Computer voice: "My name is Ashley." This is 24-year-old Ashley Caudill. After a lifetime of silence, today she wants everyone to know who she is.
Computer voice: "I have a dog named Joey." "You like that dog."
Ashley was born 7-weeks premature with cerebral palsy. When she was 10, doctors removed her trach...silencing even the few sounds she was able to make. "She has so much she wants to say it's in her head and she cannot get it out. You can just see the depression in her," said Ashley's mother, Sharon Caudill. Then they heard about com link.
A laptop computer that helps Ashley pick out what she wants to say, through pictures and sound. "She uses two switches. One will be at her head other at her hand," said Miriam Voderberg, speech therapist.
Then the computer voice puts it into words. For her mother Sharon Caudill.. it's an emotional moment... for the first
time hearing her daughter say the word "mom." "I love you mom." "Thank you Ashley." "I never thought it would happen...just never thought it would happen," added Sharon Caudill. "Ashley is finally going to be able to express her needs and be not frustrated. I'm finally going to be able to tell her to shut up."
But that won't be happening soon.. Ashley's got a lifetime of words to let out. "I can't wait to talk to my brother Robbie."
"Right now this box is programmed to speak specific phrases that Ashley might use everyday. But you can pretty much program it to say anything you want. Just like this.
