Lifes about to get a little more crazy, is that even possible?

Speech therapy, Occupational therapy, and a Developmental specialist are the usual team that you start out with in the early stages of diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders.  This is now considered the best way to get "things" going.  It was a difficult thing for me to do.  Just taking the first step was hard.  I am now so very glad I did.  From what I have learned I know that a toddler has better chances of improvements with social cues and brain activity if EI (early intervention) is started as soon as deemed appropriate.

 The next step for us was getting a diagnosis and then starting the road to ABA, applied behavioral analysis therapy.  This is pretty intense, 25-40 hour a week in home or center based learning.  This is where we are at now.  We have been approved and are picking providers and being picky about it.  I have decided on a great team to do the HBM (Habilitation Masters Program) this is the person who has to have a masters degree in behavioral analysis that comes to our home and does a 15 hour assessment of behavior and skill level.  They also become the oversight of the particular program that is designed for my Jojo.  I now have to find/interview HAB workers.  These two people will complete TEAM JOJO for the next two years.  So all together he will have a team of 6 plus mom and dad!  The HAB worker part is hard for me because being a homeschooler I really wish family was here that could be trained and help but we just don't have the family available right now.  So I will do my best to find a good match for our family and Jojo. 

Once all this in place things will be tough for awhile but this is the absolute best chance for my son to get to a place where we can all understand him and he can communicate with us.  Someday I just know I will read his favorite book and he will "Moo" back at me, until then I will keep doing the Mooing for him!

I found some great Info on ABA therapy at www.autismspeaks.org