Isaiah’s Story                                                                                                                 

 My name is Amy and my husband’s name is Josh. We live in Farmington and have two children. Our oldest, named Isaiah, is six and one half years old and our youngest, Isabelle, is three years old.   Isaiah has Autism.  Asperger’s, to be specific. He was late to walk and late to talk. I thought something was “wrong” for a while, but kept pushing it to the back of my mind. My pediatrician reassured me that he was “just being a typical boy” and not to worry. My Parents as Teachers Educator didn’t see a problem either. He was so smart, even as a baby, that everyone dismissed the early warning signs. He did not speak until he was three. However, we could still communicate quite well. He would point at things, or simply nod. He knew his ABC’s, Numbers, colors, etc before he was two. Even though he didn’t speak, I knew exactly what he was saying. I could ask him a question, like which one is the blue square, and he would simply point to it. This is how we communicated.

Finally, one day, out of the blue, he spoke. I was driving the car and he was in the back seat. He asked me if he could have some milk. Needless to say, I nearly ran off the road, with surprise! From then on he spoke in complete sentences and if he was awake, he had something to say!  Quickly I found out that he could also read. I thought at first that it was just a fluke, that he had memorized his books. I went to the library and brought home ten new books. And he read them. Just like that. That was just the beginning…

I decided that something was definitely “wrong” one day when he was dancing around, covering his ears and staring at the microwave timer. The pediatrician dismissed my concerns again and told me that “his hearing was adjusting.” I started researching and decided that my fears must be true. AUTISM…and so I began the mountains of paperwork and waiting list to get my son help.  

 He was diagnosed when he was almost four years old, through the Thompson Center, in Columbia, Missouri. We were on all the waiting lists (Knights of Columbus, Judevine…) for an initial screening for 9 months. We got in that “quickly”, because the Thompson center had a cancelation and called us. His original diagnosis was Classic Autism , but has since been changed to Asperger’s ( at almost five years)   and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (O.D.D.) (at five and one-half.)

Fortunately, we moved into another school district, and my new parent educator, suggested that I contact the school district for ECSE. I did so, and the next week, we took Isaiah to start his 60 day evaluation in the classroom at WL Johns Preschool. He started the Pre K program the following fall with regular Title 1 classroom in the am and ECSE in the afternoon. We had a very successful year and now he is in Kindergarten and is in the general classroom 86% of the time.  He receives OT, Language therapy (pragmatics), and social skills class at school as well. We also take him to Sensory Integration Therapy, once a week, in St Louis.  We have recently started in home therapy, with Touch Point, for behavioral therapy.
Josh & Amy Dugal


Hannah's Story 

My name is Melissa and my husband’s name is Samuel, but he goes by Mark, and we have 3 beautiful daughters, Kaytlyn (13), Trinity (10), & Hannah (8).  Mark & I have been together for 14 years and married for 10, we reside in Park Hills (the old Elvins area) where our older 2 girls go to Central and Hannah goes to Special Acres School for the Disabled.  Mark works at Parkland Health Center as the Security Supervisor and I work at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in the Emergency Department as the Department Secretary (Assistant to the ER Director).  Both of us work fulltime, go to college fulltime, and help run the P.A.D.D. group. 
About Our Girls:
Kaytlyn is 13 years old, very social and loves Volleyball, Cheerleading, and Track.  She is active in Choir and Band.  She does extremely well in school, and is a very well rounded teenager.  She is such a big help with her sisters and helps get Hannah ready for school in the morning, as Mark and I go to work very early.
Trinity is 10 years old, shy but coming out of her shell.  She is quite the SOCCER star and loves anything to do with animals.  While she is not as enthusiastic as her older sister about school, she does fairly well too.  She also helps out with Hannah in the mornings.
Hannah-Rose is our 8 year old; she has Classic Autism and is just the center of our family.  Hannah is very social with people that she knows, but would rather people leave her alone so she can watch her Dora and Strawberry Shortcake movies.   She is happy and healthy most of the time and she really loves going to school at Special Acres.
Our Story:
When Hannah was about 15 months old I noticed she wasn’t really talking and that she never paid attention to her surroundings.  Thinking that maybe something was wrong with her hearing we called our family physician who set her up with Audiology, but her hearing test came back normal.  At the time Hannah had been having a lot of recurrent bronchitis and pneumonia illnesses so our next step was to go to Cardinal Glennon to pulmonologist to test for cystic fibrosis, again she was fine.  Still not talking we went to see Neurology at Cardinal Glennon and that is when they told us that Hannah had PDD (pervasive developmental disability).  Hoping that she would grow out of it they waited a year to test her for anything else.  At the next appointment she wasn’t any better so they tested her for several disorders: Fragile X, Landau Kleffner’s Syndrome, etc. We went through many genetics testing and while she had several small abnormalities nothing came back that would make her be delayed.  At this time we got a diagnosis of PDD/ Autism.  We then applied to the Knights of Columbus Developmental Center at Cardinal Glennon and got put on their waiting list, which could take up to 18 months to get a spot; it only took us 12 months though.  Up until we got to K of C we never had a distinct diagnosis, we knew it was some form of Autism, but we had no answers, they finally told us that Hannah has Classic Autism.  We have good luck going through the K of C Center.  Hannah loves school, but we did have issues with the public school so now she goes to Special Acres.  If you want to know that story just ask as it is lengthy, but we are willing to share our experience with the school district.
Joining the Group
Mark and I joined this group when it was first starting out in 2007, it didn’t even have a name yet, but we felt welcome and it was just nice to be with people who understood.  Since then we have went through 3 names, but we stuck it out because the goals of the group were the same and we wanted to help make a difference.  We are very excited about having new members and making this group grow.  We want to spread the word and help people as much as we can.  Since July we realize the direction we wanted to take and now we are not only a support group for families with special needs children, but a source to help the community understand about people and families with special needs members.  At this time Mark is the President of the group and I am the Secretary, we want you to know that we are here if you need us.
Again, we want to welcome you to the group and hope that you find this group as fulfilling and helpful in your life as we do in ours.
Mark & Melissa Brockes



 Arrianna's Story


Arrianna was born December 27Th 2002.  She is now 7 years old.  She does not watch TV, or play with toys, prefers to play independently and likes to sleep in the floor she tells me its comfortable.She likes the color purple, butterfly's, flowers and believes glitter makes every thing better.  She started talking early, but that soon faded.  We didn't realize anything was wrong till about a year old.  We started to wonder why she was not walking.  She couldn't even bear weight independently to stand.  As soon as she let go of something that was stabilizing her she would fall to the ground.  We started talking to parents as teachers and asking questions.  Her speech was narrowed to a couple of key words.  We were noticing she was missing some of her milestones that you should reach in development.  She was not able to do what her cousin could who was three months younger.  I soon found out there was nothing stronger than a mothers intuition.  You know when there is something wrong with your baby.  She saw numerous doctors and therapist.  She finally started walking around 19months.  Her legs were weak.  She would fall more that the average child.  We came accustomed to carrying a bandage kit everywhere we went.  She would break her skin from falling every couple of days.  Around 20 months she was on my parents bed standing when her ankle gave out.  She fell face first onto the concrete floor and was instantly unconscious.  I took her to the fire department where my dad works and she was rushed to the E.R. by ambulance.   They sent her home, she was in and out of it for 2 days.  Unfortunately that was not the last E.R. visit due to her physical challenges.  At age 3 she started early child hood which is an early intervention education program.  She attended preschool at central elementry like the other kids except she was a lot smaller than the other children.  While there she received physical therapy and speech therapy.  At 3 she could only say three words at a time and could not complete multiple directions when given.  No matter what her day had in store for her she always had a smile on her face and ready to give a hug.  Her Father and his side of the family were in denial of any challenges she was facing and still are.  In her IEP meeting of 2009 the school had decided to add on special education and occupational therapy to her services after running numerous test due to the scores.  She functions better in small classes.  In 2009 filled out an application for developmental disabilities to see if she would qualify for a case worker.  We included the test from the school.  She qualified but they told us due to her test scores and I.Q. she also met standards to have mild mental retardation.  It didn't hit me as hard as I thought it should of.  I had a feeling something was wrong, and it also made me feel validated.  Someone else saw what I saw.  In her 2010 IEP the school wanted to take her out of P.E.  Thank goodness her physical therapist spoke up and said as long as she is trying it will build strength as well also for her social interaction with her peers.  Until this last year we really didn't know to much about her mental status.  We were mainly trying to deal with her physical challenges.  To this point we are still trying to get a diagnosis  that will tie everything together.  She to date has been diagnosed with Mild M.R.. hyper flex joints, inverted hips, weak muscles of spine and ankle and displays traits of autism and abstract thinking.  Medical treatment is really stressful for the parents.  There were times I broke down crying and wondered how much more could that little girl go through, doctors, therapist, test, trips to the city.  Ultimately you love your child and you want them to have every advantage and it is easier to take care of a child of special needs once you have a name you can get so much more info to help at home and to educate the school your child is attending. 
Jeremy & Sahra Cove


 Garrett and Morgan's story
 We have enjoyed being a part of the PADD group for about over a year now.  It is so wonderful to be a part of the kind of group that desires to make a difference in the lives of parents, children and families that face challenges with developmental issues.  The recourses, shared stories and speakers we have had made a great difference.  Having respite care for my children had enabled me to be a big part of our group and I proudly have taken on fundraising coordinator alongside my sons' father Jerry Gann.
 Having two children with autism was not something I would have ever dreamed would be a reality for my life..but who does?..In fact I had no clue what autism was until after we had noticed that our oldest son Garrett was digressing from where he had come to developmentally.  Because of Parents as Teachers and a family friend that worked in the special education field we were able to see that there were some red flags that indicated we may need to have Garrett tested and seen by a neurologist.  We knew something was happening and that he was different from other children his age.  At age 16 months he was walking, talking, had a very healthy appetite and was very sociable. Around 17 months of age he began digressing...lack of eye contact and socializing, many different types of stemming were noticeable, no longer talking and became a very picky eater..not just a normal picky eater...anything he didn't like the look of, the consistency of, the touch of, or the feel of in his mouth he would refuse.  He diverted to a high carb, crunchy, gummie and dairy diet.  Giving medicines was out of the question.  We thought that because I was pregnant he was diverting back.  As time went on we were seen at St. Louis Children's Hospital by a neurologist when Garrett was 3 and his findings were PDD NOS (pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified)..which is found on the autism spectrum.  From there we began First Steps and he was able to get speech and occupational/developmental therapy.  Garrett was able to attend W.L. John's Early Childhood Center as well. I believe the involvement in First Steps and attending W.L. John's was a great opportunity for him.  Last summer Garrett played with Challengers Baseball for developmentally challenged children and it was a blast!  We will definitely be playing again for years to come I am sure.  Garrett was seen again by another neurologist recently and was diagnosed with classical autism. He now attends Truman Kindergarten and has the best team of educators possible, I believe.  We have seen Garrett come a long way in the past three years, but more so in the last 6 months.  He really enjoys school and has managed to amaze me each and every week with new things he has accomplished.  He is still somewhat non-verbal, he lacks in socialization skills and eye contact is still a challenge for him as well as his poor diet.  We have tried different diets and we all know how hard dieting is...but we have recently started him on Juice Plus and are excited about getting the proper nutrients, vitamins and minerals his little body and brain need to function.  Juice Plus is doing a special study on the effects of autism, therefore he will get Juice Plus free for 3 years due to my sponsoring him.  Many wonderful testimonials have been shared about the positive effects and I can't wait to share ours.  Garrett also is cared for by Dr. Adam Overcast of Desired Health in Farmington Missouri.  Chiropractic care has made a huge difference in Garrett's life, and I do have to say the entire office is wonderful.  Very accepting and understanding, knowledgeable and always wanting to give the very best of care.  It's his favorite doctor to go to..and that in itself means allot.  Garrett has also been accepted by Wilder wood Service Dogs of Tennessee.  We are currently in the process of raising the funding for our specialized dog that will be trained specifically to meet Garrett's needs and help him with his challenges.  Our main concerns are his safety and helping him to stay calm and focus more.  His service dog will be able to go everywhere with him and will be harnessed to him to keep him from danger and running away.  It's amazing the work Wilder wood and other special organizations have done with training for specialization in autism.  We will be attending a training course in Tennessee next summer when his dog is ready to graduate from training.  We know that God is in this through all the amazing things he has shown us thus far and we anticipate what he will do next.  We also believe the service dog will help our other son that also has autism, by providing a common friend and responsibility within our family.  Which brings me to Morgan.  Morgan is 4 years old and we just thought we would watch for the signs of autism because of his older brother.  At first when he didn't talk or develop appropriately by age we thought it might be because he didn't have  a "neuro-typical" older brother to learn from.  As with Garrett we did Parents as Teachers and First Steps as well after being seen by a neurologist that also labeled him with PDD NOS.  He too attends W. L. John's Early Childhood Center.  Morgan definitely has a more varied diet and chooses to eat more healthier options, as well as being on Juice Plus.  He also has many food allergies, including; dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, and nuts.  So finding the safest foods sometimes is a challenge.  He is our "drama king", everything to him is very exaggerated.  He loves to act out movies and shows that he has watched and plays with toys much more than Garrett.  He too is somewhat non-verbal and has a hard time in some social situations.  He has erratic behaviors at times as well.  We hope to start horse therapy with both boys in the near future.  We have had many referrals in regards to the positive effects the horse therapy has brought about in other autistic children and are very excited! 
I and their father are not together, but remain a positive parenting team for the best interest of our sons' lives.
Being a single parent is definitely a challenge, but the rewards of having two children with special needs outweighs everything.  Becoming advocates for children with special needs was not even on my radar as a young adult, but now it is a passion due to the boys and the everyday miracles that we witness.  We are pumped about the all inclusive playground being built in our community in the near future and are willing to put our blood sweat and tears into making it become a reality!  We have a very loving family and group of friends that without their support and encouragement we would have felt lost at times.  The boys absolutely adore and look up to their older sister and brother, and whom have also grown much in character due to having younger siblings with special needs.  We couldn't have asked for a more loving and supportive extended family.  The boys have already made differences in this world by exposing their vulnerability and differences within daycare, classroom and Sunday school settings other children have the opportunity to love and accept the differences they see and learn much from them as well.  The boys both have attended two wonderful daycares, Superior and The Classroom.  Both daycares have provided the best of care and acceptance, understanding, knowledge and training in special needs.  We are looking forward to the upcoming school year and the many miracles and accomplishments that await us. Our family was also welcomed with open arms and an overwhelming amount of love from Meadow Heights church in Fredericktown.  Finding a church program that has the capacity to welcome children of all needs was a blessing.  It was a God directed step that has changed and will continue to change our lives and others for years to come.  We have full faith that our sons will do amazing things and we just want to provide the best quality of life possible and discover their talents and abilities so that they can accomplish any dreams they may have.
 If you have any more questions please don't hesitate;-)
Jessica Harmon
  
My name is Rebecca Kennon and this is my story. My husband and I were very excited to find out we were pregnant again, but were very nervous as well. You see, I had been pregnant twice before and had miscarried after only a few short weeks. After we seen the heartbeat the first time, we were told the chances for miscarriage would have lessened drastically. I began to relax after that because I felt everything was going to be ok this time around. During my pre-natal care, I was offered a blood test to check for abnormalities such as Down Syndrome. My husband said that it wouldn’t change anything to know the results—and of course, I felt the same way-- but I’m just a worrier and I thought I would like to know, if I could. The test was negative or at least didn’t reveal anything to suggest that our son would be born with D.S.
Our son was born on 08-31-06. He was born pre-maturely at 34 weeks. Miraculously there were no problems except that he was to be born via c-section because he wasn’t in the head down position. (After all, it WAS quite early) He was also tested for heart defects later and those results were negative.  So, with such a premature delivery and with absolutely no health problem, we were told he was quite the miracle baby.
So you can imagine our surprise when the doctor told us there was a possibility of Down Syndrome. Our doctor was very kind about it. He helped us understand that genetic testing was the only way to determine with certainty if he had Down Syndrome. Our son had some physical signs such as the extra skin around his neck, the fat pads on his heel and the almond shaped eyes which are all physical attributes of someone born with D.S.  The doctor that delivered him began to discuss with us afterward of the possibility of D.S. He was very sensitive of our fears and our immediate distress to hear of all of this. In fact, he told us that there is someone in his own family who has D.S. and it’s nothing to be afraid of. He then directed us to the Down Syndrome center in Children’s hospital in St. Louis. This is where we went for genetic testing and where we have went for all our son’s major appointments yearly. (We go for hearing tests, vision, thyroid and others) The Down Syndrome center knows of all the common problems associated with down syndrome and they set up a schedule for you and send you notices when appointments are coming up. It’s a wonderful institution.
After our son was diagnosed, we were told about the Missouri State program, “First Steps”. We immediately got our boy signed up to receive these services. We also were able to obtain health insurance for him through Medicaid. (You may have problems getting health insurance for your child with d.s.) Since then, we have also been able to get him something called, Supplemental Security Income to help with the financial cost of raising a child with a disability.
I have to brag a little bit on the ‘First Steps’ program. It’s an absolute MUST if your child is born with a disability. The therapists helped us cope in so many ways with our new situation and more importantly, they started helping us to help our son grow better developmentally. We had visits from the therapists every week---which was a little overwhelming at first---but it was the best decision we ever made for our son. The program ends at age 3 so you want to take advantage of this as soon as possible. We still miss his therapists to this day. They were so wonderful!
Our son’s name is Levi Kennon. He is soon to be turning 4 years old. He’s very intelligent. He walked independently at 15 months and he knows all his colors and shapes and is learning how to use a pencil. We’re so proud of him. He’s not very vocal yet so we rely on some sign language that we’ve taught him since birth (Thank you First Steps). He brings more joy to our lives than I could have ever imagined.  We’re working on potty training right now and he’s doing very well with it.   
Someone once told me that raising a child with Down Syndrome is like a roller coaster ride. The highs are REALLY high and the lows are REALLY low. This truth is becoming evident more and more all the time. Basically the best way to explain it--- is that when things are going good and you focus on the positive side, you have an almost surreal feeling of happiness and love for your life and everything about it. But when things are harder and you start comparing your life with someone else’s (and inside you wish that maybe things were different), this is when things can get tough and your feelings of sadness can close in on you. So the truth is… Don’t compare your life with others and try not to compare your child with others. Nothing good can come from doing this. Take it from me….if you keep to this motto….life will be so much better for you and your family.
I was asked to write this letter to encourage someone else who may have been given the diagnosis of Down Syndrome for their child. Don’t worry; it’s all going to be okay. If you open your eyes and your heart and let your child show you the true happiness that love can bring….you will never look back!! God bless you and your family.
I would like to offer my phone number and my name so that you may contact me if you would like to have a support group. Life is easier when we stick together. 573-366-3559 and my name is Rebecca Kennon. I live in Park Hills and would love to hear from you. My family and I stay active in a group in St. Louis called the “Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis” DSAGSL. Check out their website. You’ll be glad you did. www.dsagsl.org.
Thank you P.A.D.D for this opportunity to share my story. I hope our group grows and grows.

Rebecca Kennon

Financial information for P.A.D.D. Inc. is available to the public and can be viewed at Thurman, Shinn and Company, Certified Public Accountants, 315 N Washington, Farmington, Missouri, 63640   573-760-9400