As his mother, I’ve witnessed Blake’s incredible journey firsthand. Blake is witty, loves innuendos and can’t tell a lie. Aside from his autism, Blake is your typical teenager, with good days and challenging ones. But one constant has been his remarkable ability to overcome the limitations imposed on him.
Even before he was diagnosed at the age of three, we could see Blake had some challenges, so we started him in speech therapy at 18 months. For three years after his diagnosis, Blake received 40 hours a week of ABA in our home. It was not easy, nor was it economical, but we would not have the son and brother we have today without it. As time passed and Blake reached milestones with the help of support and services, many of my fears subsided, and our family found a safe place of understanding.
Throughout my children’s lives, Autism Speaks has been an invaluable resource for our family. I have relied on their resource guides, toolkits, and trusted research for most of Blake’s life. In short, Autism Speaks has been a beacon of light during our sometimes-isolated journey.
Because of all the services and supports Blake has received, he now attends mainstream high school classes with substantive aide support. Last summer, he worked his very first job at Goodwill through a program designed for teens needing extra support. He will be back there this summer, gaining invaluable work experience and building more friendships –something that has never come easy for him.
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