Success Stories

2022

Wilkes Developmental Day School is proud to share the success story of one of its students. This child entered the program in the fall of 2019 at just two years old with a diagnosis of autism.

Upon arrival, he demonstrated significant challenges with communication and sensory regulation. When environmental noise became overwhelming, he hummed as a coping mechanism, with the volume increasing as stimulation continued. He did not consistently follow directions or use alternative forms of communication to express his wants and needs. As a nonverbal child at the time, he primarily wandered the classroom, often carrying and throwing his favorite blanket, and had not yet developed appropriate play skills or the ability to engage alongside peers.

Through consistent, individualized therapeutic interventions, he made remarkable progress. His humming decreased significantly over time. For example, when the air conditioner activated in the therapy room, the therapist softly hummed alongside him, which helped reduce both the duration and intensity of his response.

Initially, therapy sessions were frequently marked by meltdowns that lasted 30 minutes or longer. As he became more comfortable and familiar with routines, he began to demonstrate readiness and eagerness to participate. He independently initiated transitions to therapy by guiding the therapist to the door, pushing the therapist’s hand toward it, and removing his name card—an established part of the routine. He also began leading the therapist to preferred toys within the therapy environment.

He developed meaningful connections with staff and began seeking affection, showing enjoyment through hugs and playful interactions such as tickling. His communication skills also improved as he began using emerging core vocabulary and verbalizing the names of peers.

In addition, he demonstrated increased independence within his environment. He transitioned between activities without being carried and followed directions during familiar tasks without the need for hand-over-hand assistance. These directions included prompts such as “Pick up the toy” and “Come sit down.”

He had consistently shown an interest in letters and numbers, which became a strength area. He learned to count from 1 to 10, arrange numbers in sequence, and identify letters of the alphabet.

Within the classroom, his language development continued in meaningful and engaging ways. He began calling an adult “sweetie pie” while pointing to a desired toy on the shelf. On other occasions, he said “You got it” when receiving preferred items and sometimes stated, “I’m a good boy.” He also made eye contact and used playful facial expressions to connect with others.

This child was a joy to serve at Wilkes Developmental Day School and successfully transitioned to public school.

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