Corks for A Cause, A Closer Look: Keenan

“Mom, I love you.” Those are words a mother cherishes, but when she has a child on the autism spectrum, there is a chance she may never hear those words. While most children run and play, read, laugh, tell stories, sing songs, and pretend to be superheroes, a child with autism lives a very different life.

One in 68 children in the U.S. are struggling with the complex developmental disorder known as autism. Four to five times more common among boys than girls, there is no one type of autism or one cause. Parents often hear “can’t” and “never” as it pertains to their child being able to speak or become independent. Children affected by autism often feel they are in a hostile environment, their senses are hypersensitive, and they have difficulty in social interactions, resulting in meltdowns and tantrums.

For one little boy named Keenan, early intervention and education has allowed him to make tremendous strides. Keenan was nonverbal and wasn’t interested in making friends or playing with other children. He was having meltdowns and tantrums that were uncontrollable. He would bite, hit and throw things. Keenan’s parents found Emerald Coast Autism Center (ECAC) and enrolled him in the part-time program at age five. Soon enough, he was able to speak 17 single words, such as “go,” “open,” “spin.”

A recipient of the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation Scholarship Fund for Emerald Coast Autism Center, Keenan was able to enroll in the full-time program and increase skills that are critical for his success in the home and school environment.

“Keenan has been able to make big strides forward in his therapy and education. I am very thankful for the generosity of DCWAF, not just for my child, but for so many other local children,” says James, Keenan’s father.

ECAC uses Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy with a one-to-one student-to-teacher ratio. The ECAC team was able to work with his behaviors and gain control in order to address other goals such as socializing with peers, life skills, increasing functional language, and eventually, academics.

Keenan just turned 10 years old. He can now speak up to eight-word sentences and carry on a full conversation with his friends and his family. You can ask him questions and tell him to do something and he responds. He is able to sit in a classroom and do actual school work. He loves math and music and can count to 500. He looks forward to attending school and has made several friends.

“Keenan is able to call me Mom and tell me he loves me, and those are the most beautiful words a mother could hear from a child on the autism spectrum, especially when there are so many parents who unfortunately will never hear any words,” says Keenan’s Mother Jamie. “ECAC has given my son independence, self-control and the ability to verbalize and communicate, and for that, we will always be grateful and thankful.”

Now, the Emerald Coast Autism Center is working to help more children like Keenan. The organization is building a new $2.5 million, state-of-the-art school and therapy center at Northwest Florida State College’s Niceville campus. The facility will allow the organization to nearly double its student population to 130, through 10 classrooms, three group classrooms, a speech therapy room, an occupational therapy room, a life skills room, an indoor playground/gymnasium, a multipurpose room and more. To learn more about the Emerald Coast Autism Center, visit www.ecautismcenter.org.