Evans Story

I co-founded BPTC in order to provide children exceptional therapy services along with having the benefit of the collaboration of therapists in one central location due to my own personal experience with my son Evan. Evan was diagnosed with Autism at 19 months of age. Similar to most parents, we were initially in denial. I remember coming home that day and searching all the websites on Autism, almost trying to talk ourselves out of the diagnosis. We explored every "early signs of autism" list available hoping that there was a chance the diagnosis was incorrect.

After the initial denial phase and after observing Evan's behavior more closely, we finally accepted the fact that the diagnosis was correct and we had to help Evan. Unfortunately, there wasn't a clear roadmap available to help us through this or even tell us where to go for help and guidance. We had to do a lot of research on our own in order to find available resources. In a short period of time and after many phone calls to the head of Early Intervention (EI) in my area, we got into the system and started receiving services from Early Intervention. In addition to the services that we were receiving from EI, we also supplemented with private therapies and alternative therapies. Evan's life went from playing all day to working all day, seven days a week. Demands were now placed on him and each day was a new adventure for all of us.

Evan's therapies included ABA (applied behavioral analysis), occupational therapy, sensory gym, physical therapy and speech therapy. We also explored and experimented with various metabolic diets and supplements that did not appear to meet his needs. Finally, the key to Evan's progress came when a good friend of mine, an occupational therapist, recommended the Tomatis Listening Program for Evan when he was 3. She had observed another child who went through Tomatis and saw drastic results. Going through Tomatis helped answer our prayers and we will be eternally grateful to our friend.

Evan is now almost 4 years old and progressing wonderfully because of the intensive Listening Therapy and the Multi-Disciplinary approach we provided for him. Evan speaks in short sentences, is potty-trained, always answers to his name, plays appropriately, seeks other children to play with and is very social. This summer we enrolled Evan into a mainstream preschool program without an aid or shadow. He is doing wonderfully.

Because of Evan's success and all the struggles we went through, trials and errors that we made, and different emotions that we went through as a family, I co-founded BPTC in order to share Evan's story and be a resource to parents who may be going through similar challenges and let people know about intensive Listening Therapy and how effective it is and how the Multi-Disciplinary approach really works.

An update on Evan's progress: Evan is now over 7 years old and he has surpassed our expectation. We are blessed with his sense of humor and his wonderful personality. He is attending 1st grade in mainstream school. He is continuing having wonderful experiences.