my oldest was very ill when she was 3--had to learn how to walk, all over again,etc. it left her a different child than she was before--viral encephaitls. when she went to school she was painfully shy, and didn't speak the entire year of kindergarten. i still remember the note we got from her first grade teacher, who was "delighted to inform us that she caught g. talking to her classmate behind her during class." the teacher was so happy that she was talking that she never said a word to the kids--just let them go!