Two years ago, when Janey’s two-year-old son Dominic was diagnosed with autism, she sat in a room at Easterseals Crossroads and cried many, many tears.
“I was so scared, because it was so new to me,” Janey says. “How is the world going to treat him? Is he ever going to talk? It was really hard to accept at first.”
Now, Janey wouldn’t change a thing. Easterseals Crossroads’ Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) services have had a profound impact on Dominic’s life. Janey says that although she was scared, the staff made her feel comfortable and confident in the program.
Dominic receives ABA, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and has graduated from physical therapy. Whenever they arrive at Easterseals Crossroads, he runs to the elevators, ready for the day.
“He absolutely loves coming here,” Janey says. “I think his favorite thing about coming here is the Sensory Room. He loves the bubble tubes in there.”
Jen Ward, ABA Coordinator, says when Dominic started the program, he had very few skills, and one of his greatest challenges was communication. Staff worked with Dominic using pictures to communicate.
“Having so few skills, we didn’t know how quickly he would pick it up,” Jen says, “but he picked it up so quickly. It’s been amazing to see how quickly he could pick up a skill and communicate his needs. He had never been able to do that.”
Now, Dominic communicates using an AAC device, a communication device that allows him to point at different pictures to show what he wants or needs.
“I feel really great about his progress,” Janey says. “He is doing so much better with communicating and interacting with other children.”
Dominic’s success has required commitment beyond the Easterseals Crossroad’s staff.
“(Janey) was really motivated because she saw the progress,” Jen says. “She started working with him at home from what she had learned here.”
Parents are required to attend training sessions to learn the basic skills of ABA, and Ward says Janey has always been eager to learn. That, and the entire family being on board, has been imperative to Dominic’s success.
“It’s not just the person with autism that we’re serving,” Jen says. “The entire family has to be involved.”
When Jen looks back at where Dominic was two years ago, she’s amazed at his progress.
“He went from not communicating at all and not having any independence, to now being able to have back-and-forth conversations with someone through the use of an AAC device,” Jen says. “It’s just great to see how quickly a child can grow.”
And there’s more growth to come. Janey can’t wait to see what’s in store for Dominic’s future.
“I hope he achieves every goal he ever has,” she says. “I know that he’s had a lot of obstacles in his way, but I hope if he wants to be an artist, or a nurse, or a doctor, or a police officer, that he can do that and follow his dreams.”
Dominic’s journey shows the incredible impact that early services, dedicated staff, and engaged families can have on a child’s future. With the right support, children of all abilities can grow, communicate, and confidently follow their dreams, just like Dominic.
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