ho Let The Dogs Out

	Matthew's Story
Matthew experienced extended periods during his baby and toddler years with a sinus infection.  At about 14 to 15 months old, he began shutting off into his own little world to the point where you could yell his name right near him and he would not look up at you.  He had just begun speaking and then we saw a regression and loss of speech.  We worked with ECI doing PECS and signing, but made no progress.  During this time, Matthew was diagnosed with PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder).  As of June 1999, Matthew was 2 yrs. and 5 months and totally non-verbal.  After 9 months of therapy with ECI, he had gained 1 sign and no spoken words. (Look at that smile!)

My wife and I knew we had to do something else, and quick.  ECI counseled us and told us about several different therapies.  ABA caught our attention (Applied Behavior Analysis).  Ten weeks later, we had found 3 ladies to work as therapists and Marc Mullins from Autism Partnership came and trained us.  We embraced ABA and made it a way of life for our family.  ECI was great- they helped with our ABA program- we owe them alot. (Who Let The Dogs Out?!!!) Matthew & Patrick

Total immersion into the system is the most effective way of implementing a home program.  It has changed and affected us all from the moment we wake to the moment we sleep.  Has it been worth it? Without hesitation I say YES!  Matthew is now age 12 yrs. and 6 months.  There have been times he has made progress in his language at the rate of two months of Language gain per calendar month.  There are still times intermittently that he will perseverate, but 98% - 99% of the time- he stays alert, and responsive to the world and people in it.  He still has some language delay, but he is working hard on it daily.  Our program focus shifted over the five years- starting with traditional Lovaas style ABA and moving into Verbal Analysis from Partington and Sundberg as he has become more verbal.  During the Second year of his program we restricted Wheat and Dairy products from his diet and noticed dramatic improvement that occurred in his Social Skills and his awareness of himself and his environment (He is Gluten and Casein free now).  Matthew also takes vitamins and supplents from Kirkman Labs and we see benefits from this as well.  We have been very pleased recently with the Good News Doctors at http://www.gnd.org/ In August, 2004;  Matthew started First grade with normal functioning children, and with no Aide or Shadow!!  Yea Matthew!!!.  The best measure I have seen so far is:  many parents we meet now, in our neighborhood, at soccer classes, at swim classes (for Matthew) are surprised when we tell them he has Autism (PDD to be exact).  They say he looks like all the other kids :)  At some point we may decide to stop telling people he has Autism (PDD).  Right now we are just so thankful that he has responded to the therapy and is making progress every day. Update August 2009:  Matthew is excited about joining middle school band.  He is going to learn the trombone.  He is participating in Scouts with his older brother and particularly enjoys the campouts.  He gets mostly A's and a few B's in school.  He has one modification in that he is allowed to take the state mandated test alone, to filter out the distractions.  He has passed the TAKS test every year for 3 years.  It has been a long, but rewarding journey to get to where we are today.  To parents out there still struggling to help their child with Autism, just know that there is hope, there is a way to help your child and the payoff can be worth more than anything else in the world.  Best Wishes, J. P. Reirdon