Shining Examples – October 2014

Imagine how alienating it would be if you found yourself unable to communicate with family, friends, colleagues, and staff – saddening and frustrating, not only for yourself, but for those around you. Such was the case with Adam. When he first came to Lighthouse Autism Center at the age of 12, Adam had no speech abilities and no potty training. He wasn’t troublesome, but appeared sullen and unengaged (likely because he had no way of communicating!).

“Today, two years later, Adam is a totally changed child,” said Executive Director, Gregg Maggioli. “Adam knows and uses sign language, allowing him to finally communicate. He is bright, happy, toilet trained and continuing to learn.”

Here’s a snapshot of just how far Adam has come:

Communication- When Adam came to Lighthouse Autism Center he had no way to tell his family or teachers what he wanted. Now Adam uses more than 293 signs regularly to tell his family and our staff what he wants.

Independence with Life Skills- Adam was very dependent on his parents to complete simply life skills. He wore a pullup and had no independence with dressing or using the bathroom. Adam is now fully toilet trained, tells people when he needs to use the restroom, and values his privacy!

Social Skills- When Adam came to Lighthouse Autism Center he did not engage with anyone but Mom and Dad. Nor did he laugh or play. Now, Adam is Mr. Social. He says hello to everyone when he walks in the door and plays board games with peers!

To read the entire October issue of The Autism Beacon click here.