Real Stories Planning for the future A Happier Child… When Kris and Alien Zak first heard the words "pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified" mentioned as a possible diagnosis for their toddler, they were understandably frightened. But they acted quickly, getting their son Mark enrolled in preschool and private speech and occupational therapies. Later, when his diagnosis was revised to multi-system developmental disorder, they weren't sure who they could turn to for assistance with Mark's unique challenges. CARD at USF was able to help. "Mark seems to think very concretely, and needs to know what is going to happen to him, and when it is going to happen, in order to cope effectively with his active life," says Suzanne Shahan, the Zak family's CARD support person. "His mom is one of the most naturally gifted parents I've had the privilege to work with. She's patient, supportive, positive, and loves teaching Mark about the world." Yet Mark's infrequent but intense outbursts toward family members, especially in the car, were becoming more frequent. And Mark's baby sister, Emma, often sits next to him. Mark's mom, Kris, says "We felt helpless. Mark was clearly indicating that he felt frustrated and confused. We asked for CARD's help, and received immediate attention. Suzy, our support person, responded quickly and sensitively to our needs. She helped us to gain insight into the reasons for the behaviors and workable solutions to handle the situation. Thanks to CARD we have a much happier child who is responding quite well to positive reinforcement. We will be forever grateful and comforted knowing that CARD is there for help." The Zaks learned to understand some of the events that could cause Mark to act up, such as taking unexpected routes in the car, or not stopping at a store for a cold drink, when he had been stopping regularly. They learned how to physically place him and his sister in such a way that adults in a car can more easily manage them. They learned how to use social stories to help prepare Mark for upcoming activities, and how to use a daily calendar to anticipate the events and sequences of daily routines. And they know they can have the help they need, anytime they need it, just by calling CARD. Providing Supports to Kenny CARD-USF Staff provide assistance in a variety of ways, including problem solving with families, developing behavior support plans, training parents, and providing referrals. When Shawna and Kenneth received the diagnosis that their son had autism, they didn't know what to do next. Now they had a word to describe their son's unique behaviors and developmental delays. Life with Kenny was a challenge. He didn't talk, didn't eat with utensils, had terrible tantrums when he wanted something, and didn't seem to know how to play with other children. Leigh Ann Philbrick, of the Individualized Support Project and CARD-USF, became Kenny's support provider. She made a commitment to the family to help them until Kenny could communicate without tantrumming. Most importantly, she said that she would provide support until they felt that they knew what Kenny needed and how to provide it. Leigh Ann started the process of providing support by bringing together the important people in Kenny's life to develop a vision for his future. Through Futures Planning, Kenny's parents, grandparents, therapist, and teachers talked about the lifestyle they wished for Kenny. Once Leigh Ann had the commitment of the people in Kenny's life to help him achieve the vision, the work began. Leigh Ann worked with Shawna and Kenneth to develop a behavior support plan that would result in a decrease in Kenny's problem behavior and an increase in his ability to communicate and socially interact. And they know they can have the help they need, anytime they need it, just by calling CARD. For five months, Kenny and his family were provided with support. Leigh Ann taught Shawna and Kenneth how to guide Kenny to play, teach him self care skills, and take him in the community. She taught Kenny's parents ways to help Kenny communicate without using problem behavior to get his needs met. Over time, there were dramatic differences in Kenny's behavior and skill development. He stopped communicating through tantrums, began making choices, learned to eat with utensils, became toilet trained, and could play with peers and adults. Kenny also began attending a regular preschool program with minimal supports. In reflecting on the supports, Shawna told Leigh Ann "I really don't know where we'd be today without your help. I really can't see what would have happened."