Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted& repetitive patterns of behavior. Basically, their little brains function a little differently; they're not disabled, they're "differenty-abled".
Mason was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum when he was 18 months old. The pediatrician's main concern was Mason's lack of vocabulary at his 18-month wellness check; at that point Mason wasn't speaking at all. We also noticed Mason struggled with eye-contact, responding to his name, and didn't interact with other kids. As soon as we received the diagnosis, we moved forward with getting Mason into speech therapy. After the first month of attempting to attend therapy outside of the home, we decided (along with the pediatrician) to visit the idea of at-home therapy. Mason's doctor helped us get in contact with a local support group for individuals with disabilities. We were given a case manager who had the responsibility of helping us create an ISP (Individualized Service Plan) for Mason; this ISP helped us determine specific goals that we wanted to set for Mason's progress. Throughout the week, we had visits from speech, occupational, & social-emotional therapists who aided us in reaching these goals.
Mason at 18-months old, right around the time of his diagnosis
Brooke at 18-months old, right after her diagnosis
A few photos of Mason & Brooke from various first & last days of Preschool
Mason's preschool class in the spring of 2014 (He's on the bottom right)
Mason & Brooke's class in the spring of 2015 (Mason is sitting on the floor on the left, Brooke is the only girl!)
We are now in August of 2015- Mason is 5 & Brooke is 4. Mason has completed 2 years of pre-school & is ready for kindergarten this fall! We had considered keeping him in his preschool class with Brooke for an additional year (letting them start kindergarten together), but his teacher assured me that Mason could really benefit from moving forward into elementary school! Mason will be attending an autism-centered class; there are several kids of different ages, all with autism, in his class. As he continues to learn & progress, he has the opportunity to spend increasing amounts of time integrating with the "standard" kindergarten class. Brooke will spend one more year in preschool, and will then move into the same class as Mason in elementary school.
We are also incredibly fortunate to be in the beginning stages of getting Mason & Brooke into ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) therapy. Behavior analysis focuses on the principles that explain how learning takes place. Through decades of research, the field of behavior analysis has developed many techniques for increasing useful behaviors and reducing those that may cause harm or interfere with learning. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the use of these techniques and principles to bring about meaningful and positive change in behavior. In particular, ABA principles and techniques can foster basic skills such as looking, listening and imitating, as well as complex skills such as reading, conversing and understanding another person’s perspective. Today, ABA is widely recognized as a safe and effective treatment for autism. Unfortunately, its expensive & not easily attainable. For several years, we have been on a waitlist for assistance with getting Mason & Brooke into this reliable, successful form of therapy. As of now (August of 2015), Brooke has been approved for this financial assistance ($25,000 a year!!), and we are beginning the process of getting her enrolled. We have notification that Mason is very close, too! We are anxiously & eagerly waiting to see the potential impact this therapy could have on our kids' lives.
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August 2015 Progress Updates
Mason: Until November of 2014, Mason was completely nonverbal; he had practically no way of communicating anything to us. In October of 2014, he started receiving speech therapy at a behavioral treatment facility that specialized in therapies for individuals with autism. Within a month, Mason said his first word! In the past 9 months, Mason's vocabulary has exploded! He is capable of repeating almost any word you ask him to, but, more importantly, he is speaking on his own- without being prompted. Also, he is beginning to follow simple directions. His eye contact has improved significantly, too! Mason still struggles with social interaction with kids his own age; he can play along side his peers, but he doesn't interact with them. However, he is very friendly & loveable with adults.
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