William, Age 3
Background & Challenges
William was a typically developing infant until around age 12 months. At that time, he began to lose interest in people and started to play with only a few toys in a repetitive fashion. He was no longer smiling at his parents. His pediatrician referred him to the Infants and Toddlers Program, where he was evaluated.
Success Story
William received services in a specialty program for students with autism from a special educator, speech pathologist, occupational therapist and a technician. He attended the class for 90 minutes/ day, 5 days per week. William made rapid progress, making eye contact, engaging with family members and using words functionally. His parents enrolled in the More Than Words program, designed for family members of children on the autism spectrum. This program helped them learn how to connect with William. William is experiencing so much success that he no longer needs to attend his specialty class. He is able to successfully attend a community preschool with the support of a special education teacher through Community Based Services.
