I want to tell you a story. It doesn’t start out as a happy one. But because of the TAMIU Communication Disorders Clinic and the student clinicians there, it has a very happy ending.
The story begins June 14, 2007 when my then 2-and-a-half-year old son was diagnosed as cognitively and language delayed and most likely on the Autism Spectrum.
As parents, we didn’t know what autism was; the word wasn’t in our vocabulary. However, we understood all too well when the psychiatrist said, “He’ll likely never know how much you love him or can love you back” and that “Seventy percent of children (like my son) would never hold a job or live on their own.”
We know now that the psychiatrist’s description of what autism is wasn’t exactly accurate for many cases. Still, it was devastating information, and as a mommy, I remember I couldn’t stop crying. It felt like the boy I left her office with had died before he had ever gotten started. It wasn’t the diagnosis I was expecting either. You see, I originally took him to the pediatrician just to get a referral for a hearing test. He’d recommended the psychiatrist.
After being told this and handed a heavy sheaf of psychological testing results, I immediately proceeded to search for the speech therapy services and occupational therapy the office said I needed.
For those of you who have a special needs child, you may already know that it is very difficult to find services. We were willing to pay anything-max out every credit card-to get the intervention our son needed, but it didn’t matter. There were many children on waiting lists for services, children just like Brent.
Then, I accidentally saw a flyer for a lecture on Autism Spectrum Disorders to be hosted at TAMIU. It was there that Melissa Garcia, Assistant Professor of communication disorders, saw my son playing with my two other children. she was possibly the friendliest therapist I had ever met. She seemed to really care.
Because of her, we started services at TAMIU immediately. The people at the Communications Disorder Clinic showed nothing but professionalism, patience, and for lack of a better word, love. Over the next few weeks, I got to know Dr. Alan Seitel, Associate Professor of communication disorders. He was the person who convinced Brent to stick around and try harder. And Brent listened.
These people, coupled with the student clinicians, were able to help my son become verbal and begin to learn how to play properly with his peers. I would listen carefully at the door during his therapy sessions. Whatever they did in the clinic, I made sure to reinforce at home. Additionally, they seemed to always offer hints about what we could do more of, less of, better, or just differently.
The end result is that Brent-now just 4 years of age-is verbal and a budding conversationalist. He’s even an emerging reader. Does he have things to work on? Yes. But the point is that we have had excellent progress under their care. I would be remiss if I didn’t give God a lot of credit for his apparent recovery. But on the other hand, God does have angels helping him. The people at the TAMIU Communication Disorders Clinic were our angels-our cavalry, our touchstone. My motivation in writing this editorial is simple. I want to get the word out about the speech disorders program here at TAMIU. I have to believe that for any child with a disorder or syndrome, intervention can make a huge difference. If you know a preschool child with a language delay in need of help, or, perhaps you know of a relative who has suffered a stroke and is now struggling to regain his or her quality of life, consider contacting the TAMIU Communications Disorder Clinic. If you know someone who has been labeled with a language disorder at school, and you would like to get him or her extra help, contact the Communication Disorders Clinic. Trained and supervised student clinicians are there wanting to use the tools they have learned from two professors with nearly 60 years experience between them in helping people with special needs.
Intervention works. Over the next several weeks, I hope you’ll check back here for more success stories, student perspectives, and general information about language delays, disorders, and differences. We have to get the word out. This column is a good place to start.
For more information about clinic services, please contact Garcia at 326-3139, email mpgarcia@tamiu.edu.