During my last 18 months as a nanny, I've worked with a child who suffers from a genetic deficiency that has impaired his physical development as well as mental abilities. Since the age of 3 months, I have given him lessons in sign language, performed daily exercises to enhance his gross motor skills, and administered oral medications twice daily. When he first began with me, he was expected to never be able to walk on his own, and to be fully dependent upon sign language. I am happy to say that one year later, he his now taking up to five steps on his own and not only does he use sign language, he uses 15 verbal words also.