FAMILY FRIDAY: Indianapolis Mother Stresses Importance of Early Access; Early Intervention Autism Therapy
With the summer season in full swing, the Indiana ACT for Families coalition is excited to feature Kate Miller, a mother of two who founded a community organization to provide lifechanging access to sensory and communication tools for children with autism.
Kate’s Story
In 2017, Kate’s oldest son began exhibiting signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the age of two. As a single parent and first-time mother, Kate was overwhelmed by the process of seeking the best possible care for her son. After extensive research, she was able to identify an ABA therapy center near her home. “Luckily for us, we had access to early intervention programs,” she said. “We were thankful that we were able to get him into ABA therapy right away.”
At first, Kate was hesitant and carefully watched her son’s progress to ensure ABA therapy was the right fit. But she quickly learned that it provided him with a whole new world of opportunity. “Now I am able to say that ABA has given my son so many necessary life skills that I never thought he would have, helping to keep him safe.”
“ABA Gives My Family Hope”
Through the impact of early intervention and access, Kate was able to see drastic improvements in her child. Although her son is still nonverbal, he is now able to communicate through a device and dangerous eloping behaviors have nearly stopped entirely. “When we began our ABA journey, at first it seemed like a daunting process,” she said. “Through ABA, my son now has every skill that a kid needs at his age, and it makes me hopeful for his future.”
Kate has also seen the impact it has made on her entire family. “It makes me feel like I can be a more competent parent and better understand my child’s needs,” she said. “It has allowed me to set my expectations higher for my son’s achievements and help give him more independence.”
Creating a Community Support Group
After witnessing the emotional connections within the ASD community, Kate set out on a mission to help people in similar situations get the support they need. In 2018, she founded Ausome Indy – an organization that serves children who are in foster care and kinship care by providing them with sensory and communication tools. “My greatest joy in the world is helping people get what they need,” she said. “This organization has allowed me to put my son’s autism diagnosis into perspective and use it to positively impact others who are experiencing the same thing.”
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Indiana ACT for Families is a broad coalition of Hoosier families, ABA therapists, ABA therapy providers, and stakeholders, including The Arc of Indiana and other advocacy groups, working to advocate in support of promoting access to high quality ABA therapy services in Indiana. For more information, please visit www.IndianaACT4Families.com.
For press inquiries please reach out to [email protected].
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