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Success Stories
"Ron"
“Ron” will be 18-years-old next month. He had been diagnosed with ADHD among other diagnoses throughout his whole life. It wasn't until three years ago when his psychiatrist diagnosed him with Asperger's Disorder. “Ron” was struggling in his high school and had been in a classroom for students with Behavioral Disorders. He has had many "meltdowns", and both in his freshman and sophomore years he refused to return to school after the holiday break.
Now “Ron” attends the Intensive Educational Program for students with Asperger's Syndrome at Judevine Center for Autism, and he has a part time job three days a week. This year, “Ron” returned to school after the holiday break. According to his mother, life is much easier for “Ron” now that they have found Judevine.
"Jack"
“Jack” is 10 years old. He was diagnosed with autism at age 3. He received extensive therapy through Judevine and the Special School District of St. Louis County. He received funding through the Missouri Department of Mental Health, and was in the Eastern Missouri Autism Project and Family-Directed Support. When “Jack” was diagnosed at age 3, a local neurologist strongly suggested that his parents institutionalize him. His mom states that their neurologist said they should have other children and go on with our lives. He said, “If a mother’s love could cure autism, this child would be just fine. But we all know it does not work like that.”
“Jack”’s parents did not institutionalize him. Instead they arranged an intensive therapy program. They first participated in Judevine’s specialized Parent Training Program. Judevine provided music therapy, group behavior therapy, individual behavior therapy and occupational therapy with “Jack”. In addition, Judevine trained “Jack”’s parents to do therapy with “Jack” at home. They worked closely with “Jack”’s teachers to coordinate the services being provided for “Jack” and to make sure everyone was working together in a coordinated and consistent fashion. Specialists from Judevine attended meetings at “Jack”’s school to help address problems when they arose.
“Jack” has been in a regular public school classroom all along. He attends 4th grade in Ladue. In kindergarten he required a full-time shadow. In first and second grade he only needed a part-time shadow. He has not had a shadow since second grade. He is now in the 4th grade. At the end-of-year testing last spring, “Jack” tested in the 99th percentile nationally for all 3rd graders in the subject of science. He is starting flying lessons. After school he takes pottery classes on Tuesdays, Acting and Improv on Wednesdays and Chess on Thursdays. If you met him today you would see a 10 year-old boy with curly brown hair and startling blue eyes, but you would never believe he had ever had autism.
Why does “Jack”’s mom speak about autism in the past tense? Dr. Garrett Burris, one of the most highly-respected pediatric neurologists in the St. Louis area, evaluated “Jack” when he was 3 years old and concurred with the 11 other specialists that “Jack” had autism. On January 2, 2004, at the urging of one of “Jack”’s other doctors, his parents took him back to Dr. Burris, who stated that “Jack” no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for autism.” He said that “Jack” is a pioneer in the field of autism, as he is one of the first kids in the USA to emerge from autism.
"Eddie"
“Eddie” is 12 years old and was diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder when he was in the sixth grade. The social aspects of school were difficult for “Eddie” and so his father quit his job to investigate the problem. It was at that time that “Eddie's" parents heard about Judevine simultaneously from “Eddie’s" pediatrician and the Internet. Judevine taught the parents about Asperger's Disorder and then “Eddie's" dad was able to go back to the school to conduct an in-service with his school's teachers, and later with the children in “Eddie's" class. “Eddie’s" dad spent half of his time being “Eddie's" advocate and the other half of the time helping him. Prior to this experience “Eddie's" past school claimed they were completely incapable of supporting him.
“Eddie” currently attends a private school with hopes of graduating. “Eddie” also receives clinical therapies services at Judevine Center for Autism. “Eddie’s" dad hopes to help St. Louis develop a community where persons with Asperger's Disorder can thrive.
"Cathy"
Just 14 months ago Steven and Stephanie packed their bags to come to St. Louis to stay with the in-laws while participating in Judevine's three-week parent training program with their daughter “Cathy”. Little did they know, Judevine Center for Autism would help turn the lights on for their two-year-old daughter, “Cathy” who had been diagnosed with mild to moderate autism just months earlier. While attending parent training they learned more about the nature of “Cathy”’s disability, how to effectively teach their daughter, and how to cope as parents.
After the three weeks Steven and Stephanie went back home to Connecticut, and this time, they packed their bags for good. The difference Judevine made for “Cathy” in that short of time, combined with the educational services the state of Missouri could offer as compared to where they lived, caused the family to not think twice. In May they moved to St. Louis, and enrolled “Cathy” in a variety of services. Currently, “Cathy” utilizes several Judevine programs, including speech, occupational, behavior and music therapies, and Relationship Development Intervention (RDI). “Cathy” also is enrolled in preschool and has an intensive home behavioral program.
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