The South American long-tailed parrot, Barney, has brought an unexpected miracle to the Hargreaves family in Blackburn, England: its chatter has helped 4-year-old Dylan, who has autism and has never spoken, to utter his first words.
At 4 years old, Dylan Hargreaves struggled to pronounce even a single word despite the efforts of his family and himself. All he could manage were incomprehensible sounds accompanied by drool.
His mother, Michelle, 33, recounts: “We bought Barney the parrot to keep Dylan company. It was surprising that just a few months later, Dylan started to babble his first words. Although it sounded very strange, I could still understand what he meant. I believe the parrot speaks slowly, which allows Dylan to comprehend and imitate it more easily.”
So far, the unfortunate boy has confidently spoken simple words such as “Good evening,” “Dad,” “Mom,” “Hello,” “Goodbye.”
Dr. Hazel Roddham from the University of Lancashire, a speech language researcher, affirmed the value of learning to speak by “parroting.” “Children will learn very quickly if they are interested. Parrot Barney not only captures Dylan’s attention but also repeats certain words at a slow pace, making it easier for the boy to absorb.”
Parrot Barney and the Hargreaves family. (Photo: The Sun).
HM
