Puzzle Peace

I was pregnant during the pandemic; I felt fear and anxiety amid so much uncertainty. The doctor appointments were solo and no celebrations were allowed to welcome a new life into the world. Post delivery, I had no visitors, no social interactions, and wearing a mask blocked my babies (I gave birth to twin boys) from the bonding kisses and caressing words that a mother and newborn share. Each month my babies’ growth seemed normal, however, around 11 months, I noticed a change in one of my sons. His development came to a halt. There were no words, no babbling, and the biggest indicator that something was wrong was that he made no eye contact; he didn’t respond to his name. He would flap his arms up and down really fast, something I later learned was called “stimming”, a self-stimulatory behavior that kids with autism often exhibit. I knew in my heart that my son had autism and that I had to get help fast. Family and friends told me that in time he would be fine, saying, “Just wait until he starts school; he will grow out of it.” Had I listened, I would have lost valuable time getting him the help he needed.

I discussed my concerns with his pediatrician and after testing, it was determined that he wasn’t on target to meet any age-appropriate milestones. I went home and got to work. New York City offers early Intervention from birth to 3 years old, so I contacted various programs that offer evaluations. Shortly after, a service coordinator reached out to me. The service coordinator’s job is to link you to the appropriate resources and providers. Though time-consuming, it is important to understand that you are your child’s biggest advocate; you are their voice. Many therapists and evaluators came to my home and we traveled to various locations before receiving an accurate diagnosis: My son has autism and is non-verbal.

Once diagnosed, he began receiving occupational therapy, speech therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). My weekdays were consumed with home therapy or taking him to neighborhood playgrounds. Eventually he was able to go to a center-based program that offered therapy and socialization services. Once Covid restrictions were lifted, he was able to be around other kids which helped tremendously in his progress. I ask myself, what caused my son to have autism? Was it stress because of the pandemic, medication I took during pregnancy or lack of social interactions? I will never know, but I do know there is help. NYC Early Intervention is a great program but you, the parent, have to do the footwork. My son is now 3 years old. He has been receiving early intervention services since he was 18 months and is progressing and running around EG like any other child (The “valley” is his favorite place). For help or questions, call 311 and ask to be connected to an Early Intervention Service in your borough. Or go online to: https://www.nyc.gov, and search Early Intervention Guide.