Jacksonville foundation, schools help youth with autism make progress – Florida Times-Union

Twelve-year-old Zachary Gomez loves ceiling fans.

The Jacksonville boy has been assembling them right out of the box, using no instructions, since he was 6.

Zac has shelves full of a variety of different ceiling fan parts. From the blades, the motors, arm brackets, bulbs, light shades, tools and a compartment for all of the screws, and some things that I dont even know what they are called, said his mother, Sara Gomez. He spends most of his free time either watching instructional videos on how to install ceiling fans, or how to build things, or assembling his own fans in his room.

When he was 1 year to 18 months old, his parents began noticing that he had such over the top obsessiveness about certain things, she said. They also noticed he was losing his early verbal babbling skills. Those and other concerns led to a diagnosis of moderate autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, shortly after he turned 2. The spectrum refers to a range of conditions characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors.

Zachary has made vast improvements since then, first in public-school autism programs and now at a private school. He also has attended special camps, and received a service dog and other support through the Ponte Vedra Beach-based HEAL (Healing Every Autistic Life) Foundation, which has raised about $2 million for the autism community. In line with Autism Awareness Month, the foundation will have its annual Zoo Walk fundraiser April 30 at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

Most people would respond to hearing of an ASD diagnosis as an Oh my gosh, I am so sorry situation, similar to a death in the family. Id be lying if I said we werent feeling similar emotions initially, Gomez said. In the end, when you jump into this journey of autism, you realize that it is not a death sentence.

Zacharys verbal capacity is limited, but he has other attributes that echo other 12-year-old boys.

He is a very bright, inquisitive, gentle-natured, happy boy, she said. He definitely has a goofy sense of humor and it doesnt take much for one to be able to know how he is feeling at any given time.

By the numbers

Leslie and Bobby Weed established HEAL in 2004, inspired by their daughter, Lanier, now 19, who is nonverbal and profoundly affected by autism. When she was diagnosed in 2000, 1 in 500 people in the United States had the disorder, Leslie Weed said.

By 2007, the numbers had exploded to 1 in 150, she said. The schools were bursting at the seams and there were no summer camps, sports leagues or programs for those with autism. Bobby and I saw a great need in our community.

HEAL has given grants to public-school autism programs in six counties and to private schools, including the North Florida School of Special Education, which Zachary attends, and Jacksonville School for Autism. The foundation has donated iPads for use in classrooms of children with autism, and funded 50 autism service dogs, 15 camps, educational seminars, and year-round recreational and social events for families, among other things, Leslie Weed said.

The current rate of autism diagnoses is in the 1-in-50 to 1-in-68 range, depending on the source.

The recent sharp rise in numbers of autism has been described as an epidemic among children, Weed said. Many with autism also suffer from a constellation of illnesses, intestinal disorders and autoimmune diseases. The cause of autism is a heavily debated subject. Scientific researchers are looking into genetics and environmental causes.

HEALs iPad program has become a revolutionary tool in teaching for the area children with autism who cannot speak, she said.

This technology helps students communicate, finally giving them a voice, she said.

Making it personal

Nick Dunham was about 18 months old when he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. His mother wanted a comprehensive learning program for him. Like Weed, when she could not find adequate resources, she created them. She is founder and executive director of the Jacksonville School for Autism, which her son attends.

It started out of fear and hope, Michelle Dunham said. I wanted Nick to have the ability to have experiences.

Founded in 2005, the school combines aspects of applied behavior analysis therapy, speech and language therapy, motor skills training, sensory integration therapy, play and socialization with peers. Students learn a blend of academics and social skills.

We teach them how to act in all types of environments, Dunham said.

Enrollment is at about 50, ages 2 to 30. Their needs vary because individual cases can be mild, moderate or severe.

If youve met one individual child with autism, youve (only) met one individual child with autism, she said. They all have intelligence. Its how we reach them.

Jackson McLean, 9, is one of the students.

He said his favorite thing to do at school is play games, but he proudly showed his academic prowess by reciting numbers up to 20 in Spanish, Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho

Jackson quickly jumped from one topic to another.

Monday were moving into a new house. Its perfect, he said.

Students also participate in art and music programs, and do chores. Young students help prepare daily meals, older students help clean the cafeteria.

Dunhams son, now 18, is on the cafeteria clean-up crew. He has limited verbal skills, but is very sensory and uses his body to show his emotions, she said. When she visited the cafeteria while he was working, he greeted her with hugs and kisses.

Thats my big Nick, she said. Hes a happy boy.

Adulthood

Helping students learn workforce skills is critical, Dunham said. At her school, vocational students work on gardening and landscaping projects, among other things, and have jobs at stores and restaurants. Nick works in the produce department of a Publix, where his fruit displays are meticulously arranged.

Over the next five years, Dunham envisions a new, larger campus with more vocational training and housing for students who are aging out of the program. Because of the 1-in-50 diagnosis rate, there will be a nationwide tsunami of such young adults in coming years, she said, and there have to be jobs, housing and other support services for them.

Now a lot of (aged-out) kids are just sitting at home, Dunham said. They have to have a sustainable income.

The North Florida School for Special Education serves about 150 students ages 6 to 22 who have intellectual disabilities, including autism. In addition to vocational programs, the school helps prepare students for the workplace by visiting regular education students at other schools and community events.

Such reverse inclusion opportunities allow other people to see the students abilities rather than their disabilities and give students the chance to practice appropriate social skills, said Deb Rains, assistant head of school and director of admissions.

The school has a transition program for ages 18 to 22 and a post-graduate program for young adults for ages 22 to 40.

Sara Gomez has high hopes for Zacharys future.

A lot of things change when you get that diagnosis, she said. It may not be the route we expected to take, but you learn to appreciate and celebrate the little things in life, and how much we used to take for granted. We look at it as a different journey with a few detours.

Beth Reese Cravey: (904) 359-4109

Excerpt from:

Jacksonville foundation, schools help youth with autism make progress - Florida Times-Union