Today, I am a businesswoman and a busy mother of four teenage boys, including twins. Two of my sons were diagnosed with moderate to severe autism early on one at 23 months (one of the twins) and our youngest at 18 months. I was five months pregnant with my youngest son when I learned one twin's diagnosis. Our eldest son, adopted at birth, was three years old at the time, full of energy and curiosity. Life was chaotic but joyful with three toddlers and another on the way. However, I noticed developmental differences between the twins: one was cheerful and hit his milestones, while the other one was distant and rarely engaged in play with his brothers, often leaving me feeling uneasy. My concerns were brushed off by others with reassurances, “It’s just first-time parent worries” and “He will be fine—stop worrying!” As time passed, my worries intensified. I observed my son obsess lining up his matchbox cars, turning them upside down one by one, all in neat little rows. He would repeat the process over and over. If anyone tried to join in the play, my son would drop to the ground, inconsolable, until the intervening person left. Then, the process would start all over again. He walked on his toes, and he carried unusual items in his hands. It didn't seem to matter what items, it just absolutely had to be one yellow and one red. He carried strips of yellow and red paper, the red letter A, a yellow A, and anything he could find that covered the red/yellow color scheme. He would keep the "travel items" in his hands the entire day, even while eating or playing with other toys. It seemed as though he would run around our kitchen island endlessly, high on his toes, making high-pitched, piercing squeals. He had peculiar habits, like specific colored items with him throughout the day. At play dates, I found myself constantly ensuring he didn’t put gravel or wood in his mouth, and he would cling to me fearfully in new environments. He crawled backward for a month and seemed oblivious to the world around him while his twin played and laughed alongside our eldest. The differences became increasingly noticeable. After appointments with the pediatrician, I initially felt an incredible high, a sense of relief, when he told me that my son was meeting his milestones and that he is on track. When I mentioned autism, my pediatrician said he was "way too social" to have autism. I turned to the internet and discovered resources about autism that resonated with my son's behaviors. But, as always, at night, I couldn't sleep; and I would sit at the computer querying "autism symptoms," but they did not fit my son. Then, one day, I queried “toddler and autism symptoms,” and there was my son right in front of me. It was an intense moment, in the middle of the night, all alone. Immediately, I began to purchase books about autism. It was through my reading of “Let Me Hear Your Voice” by Catherine Maurice that I learned about ABA. At first, I didn’t believe that my son would ever need the recommended 30–40 hours per week; I reasoned with myself that, just maybe, a few hours a week, and he would be just a typical kid. Now pregnant with my youngest, I clearly remember the creeping, worrisome feeling as I read about her second child’s diagnosis, with my last son gently kicking inside me. This let me delve into literature about ABA therapy, igniting a journey that would change our lives. The day my son was diagnosed with autism remains etched in my memory—an out-of-body experience filled with disbelief and sorrow. After coming to terms with the diagnosis, we immediately sought an intensive ABA program, yielded remarkable progress for our son. The problem became financial because, as we had been scraping by raiding college funds, the cost of ABA for two children now exceeded my husband’s take-home pay. We would not be able to do this without serious financial help. We relocated to a small town in New England known for having strong funding for ABA programs, sight unseen. Fortunately, we were able to move back to Northern Virginia when ABA therapy ended. We were lucky. We were able to locate the resources to build and fund our own in-home program. Not only that, but we found an exceptional BCBA, and we were able to hire a number of talented and enthusiastic people to provide one-on-one therapy for 30 to 40 hours per week per child. My husband and I interviewed/hired/fired/juggled schedules and paid staff, completely overseeing the entire program. That was a daunting task, but we learned, and it eventually became second nature to us. We managed to cobble together enough financial support to make it possible, although, we were still out of pocket for a good-sized chunk of the cost. As our sons entered preschool with ABA support, their remarkable progress evident, allowing them to thrive in an environment tailored for children with developmental delays transitioning to public kindergarten presented challenges, but with advocacy and support, we continued their program, leading to significant advancements in their development. Leaving a successful career in federal law enforcement, I pursued my passion for helping children with autism by earning a Master of Science in behavior analysis and founding a company to provide ABA services.

We have seen, firsthand, the positive effects that this life-altering program can yield. We realize that no two children are alike and that each child is impacted in his own, unique way and has his own, unique issues. We realize that ABA is not a magic bullet and that some children respond better to it than others. While not all children will experience the “optimal outcome” that ours did, the scientific literature indicates that the overwhelming majority of children on the spectrum will receive a substantial benefit from intensive behavioral therapy. I am determined to help families and children to reach their fullest potential in life. The simple words, "mommy" and "daddy", are a treasure for parents of children with autism. 

- Perry Olson

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