TAMPA — April is Autism Awareness Month, and one family in Tampa is striving to be a voice in their community when it comes to raising a child living with autism.
When Mariely Rivera-Rohena with Easterseals Florida arrives at a family’s home, it's like she’s Mary Poppins. She carries a bag full of toys and games that bring out the best in children living with autism, like five-year-old Caylee.
“I never realized how important play is for young children, how much they learn from it, how much we can connect with our children from play and teach them and learn from them at the same time, so it really has been life-changing,” said mother Mercedes McDowell.
It’s not the toys that are life-changing; it’s the lessons and therapy that the PLAY Program incorporates while using them.
“For them to develop language and social skills to be able to go into the world every day and be successful,” said Rivera-Rohena.
McDowell said before the PLAY Program came into their lives, Caylee was only speaking a few phrases and demonstrating self harming behaviors. But those days are now long gone.
“She began to use sentences, and within three months, she was no longer throwing herself on the ground. She had ways to express herself while we were playing,” said McDowell.
“When they are pointing, looking at you, pulling your hand, they are really opening those lines of communication,” said Rivera-Rohena.
The non-profit visits about 200 households across the state every month, spending two to three hours on each visit, building these developmental skills.
“We mentor and coach and educate the parents. It’s parent-based, which means we tell the parents what they are going to continue doing after we leave,” said Rivera-Rohena.
“I never felt like she was judging us or judging my daughter. It was really a comfortable atmosphere, especially with it being in my home,” said McDowell.
“We videotape around 15 minutes of what we are doing, and we give the parents a report about the feedback, about what they are doing with the use of the techniques that we are giving them,” said Rivera-Rohena.
“I see how much she has grown as a young child, and she’s so friendly now, she’s thriving in school,” said McDowell.
The PLAY Program’s success has even led to the Easterseals School for Limitless Learning, set to open later this year in Valrico.
McDowell hopes her family can be a voice in the autism community.
“I’m glad ABC Action News is sharing our story because I do feel like my personal experience can be inspiring to others because we are just a regular family,” said McDowell.
For more information on Easterseals Florida, go to www.easterseals.com/florida
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