Center helps autistic children improve step by step

Therapists work with their clients in a room at Step By Step Consulting therapy and learning center in Suffolk (MICHAEL KESTNER PHOTOS / THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT)

By SHIRLEY BRINKLEY
Correspondent

Every week day, Faye McNair drives an hour from Seaford, near Yorktown, to bring her grandson, Vincent Chacon, 2, to Step By Step Consulting in Suffolk.

The toddler is autistic, and "the strides Vincent has made have been terrific" at the therapy center on Burnetts Way.

"It's worth the drive," McNair says.

Vincent, the son of Carrie McNair and her husband, Kael Chacon of Seaford, was diagnosed with autism when he was 15 months old.

"He could identify colors, but he didn't turn to his mom's voice, or make eye contact," his grandmother said.

"He cuddled, but never lifted his arms to be picked up.

"Now, he makes eye contact, communicates with us and engages us in activities.

"And if he hears a loud noise, he looks at me to see how I'm responding, and will come to us."

McNair credits Vincent's improvements to the help he has received from Wendy Fitch, a private, board-certified behavior analyst who is president of Step By Step Consulting, and to her team of therapists.

Fitch, 40, who specializes in the treatment of children who have been diagnosed with autism and Asperger's syndrome, opened the therapy and learning center last spring.

Parents bring their children, ages 2 to 13, from the cities of Hampton Roads, Franklin, Courtland, Newport News, Yorktown and eastern North Carolina to participate in the center's various programs.

JoAnna Bryant, president of the Tidewater chapter of the Autism Society of America, said there are very few programs such as Fitch's in South Hampton Roads that use Applied Behavior Analysis to help autistic children.

"Wendy is very well-respected," she said.

"When people come here from other areas, and they're interested in Applied Behavior Analysis, they seek Wendy's help for in-home" therapy."

Autism is a developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life, according to the Autism Society of America, and is likely the result of a neurological disorder which affects the normal functioning of the brain.

It affects development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.

"Some of the children have mental retardation along with autism," Fitch said.

"And some have a high or average IQ range, but have behavioral and social issues."

Asperger's syndrome, which is usually diagnosed after age 5, is a neurological disorder that falls in the autism spectrum, Fitch said.

Children with Asperger's have normal intelligence and language development, but marked deficiencies in social and communication skills, she said.

"These children interact differently with other people," Fitch said.

"It's like not knowing the social rules. They are more rigid in rule-following. Some kids are perfectionists, and are more anxious or frustrated."

Applied Behavior Analysis basically incorporates the notion that behavior that is rewarded is more likely to be repeated than behavior that is ignored.

"We don't teach eye contact," for example, Fitch said. "That comes as a byproduct with 90 percent of the kids."

"We work on language skills through use of play - anything the kids like.

"When a child says, 'I want the firetruck,' I say, 'I don't have it, but so-and-so does.' That teaches him to go and ask for it," for example.

Bryant said that autism is becoming more prevalent, and Fitch agrees, although the reasons why are not clear.

"In the early '90s, one child in 10,000 was affected," in the United States, Fitch said.

In 2005, "one child in 166 was diagnosed with autism, and the cause is unknown."

While autism may be "a life-long disability," it "does not indicate the future" for children, Fitch said.

"We look at behavior, and see what we can do about it. "

Fitch said she was 14 when she decided she wanted to study psychology and help those with mental health problems.

A native of Canton, Ohio, at 18, she "worked nights as a house mother at a residential facility for adult women with mental retardation," she said.

"Later, I worked at other group homes for children and adults with mental retardation."

Fitch graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown, Pa., in 1988, and a year later, earned a master's degree in special education at Mansfield University in Mansfield, Pa..

She taught special education in Montgomery Elementary School in Montgomery, Pa., for three years.

After visiting relatives in Suffolk, Fitch decided to move to Norfolk, where she met her husband, Bryan Bankson, who works for Norfolk Southern.

The couple has two children, Zayne, 8, a third-grader at Oakland Elementary School, and Emily, 5, who will enter first grade in the fall.

The family moved to Chuckatuck in 2000.

For two years, Fitch taught children with emotional disturbances at Salem High School before being hired by the publicly run Southeastern Cooperative Educational Programs, which works with children with severe disabilities and behavior problems.

During the 10 years she worked for SECEP, Fitch taught for one year, was a member of SECEP's support staff for three years in Norfolk, and for six years, was a SECEP coordinator for mental retardation, as well as autism, for classes in Southampton and Isle of Wight counties.

In 2001, Fitch took course work in a certified program in Applied Behavior Analysis through Penn State, and passed the board exam in 2004.

Last June, she left SECEP, and began working on her own, doing instructional and behavior therapy and consultation in patient's homes.

By November, word of Fitch's expertise had spread, and she realized that her caseload could become overwhelming.

"So many families were calling in need of services, that I couldn't see everyone effectively," Fitch said.

"I hired three trained therapists to implement the programs that I had developed."

Step By Step offers a year-round, three-hour, pre-school program, as well as an after-school and summer program.

Costs are $300 per week for pre-school and after-school programs, and $2,700 to $3,000 for the summer program, which is serving 26 school-age children.

The cost includes therapy and one or two outings daily to a museum, Tides' game, movies, zoo, local library and parks, bowling, or swimming at the Y.

"We have kids, who come in for hourly therapy, and there are some that we see in-home," Fitch said.

Hourly visits cost between $40 to $100, she said.

Since Gabriel Ojeda began therapy with Fitch more than a year ago, his parents have been delighted with his progress.

Gabriel, 4, lives in Chesapeake with his parents, Jose and Maria Ojeda, and sister, Alondra, 6.

Diagnosed with autism at age 2, he is attending pre-school at the center, but was one of Fitch's in-home clients before she opened Step By Step.

"At 1 year old, Gabriel was not walking or trying to talk," said Maria Ojeda.

"He had no eye contact, and played by himself for long periods of time. "

Ojeda requested an evaluation by the Norfolk Infant Program, which provided speech and physical therapy for Gabriel.

He is now receiving occupational and speech therapy at Portlock Primary School in Chesapeake.

"Since we started doing Applied Behavior Analysis, Gabriel is doing much better," Ojeda said. "He is high-functioning. "

In October, Jose Ojeda, will be transferred with the Navy to Yokosuka, Japan.

Maria Ojeda is concerned about finding treatment for their son there.

"There are only three people in Japan who are certified," she said.

"But I can drive anywhere, just as long as Gabriel gets the services."

Valentino Simonds, 4, was diagnosed with autism last year.

The Courtland boy is the middle child of three sons of Jeffrey and Carla Simonds.

"Valentino had a lot of outbursts - kicking and screaming," Carla Simonds said. "I kept telling the doctor that something wasn't right."

Valentino was evaluated by the Neurological Speech and Development Division at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, and was enrolled in SECEP through Southampton County Schools.

Simonds heard about Step By Step, and in May, started Valentino in pre-school there.

"Valentino is doing very well," Simonds said.

"I've noticed so much progress in him. He's speaking more, and making a request is a major change for him. Before, he would just scream.

"I will keep him at the center in the fall. It's worth it."

"All of the kids have made progress, and some have made significant progress," Fitch said.

"I need to look every day, and if a child hasn't make progress, I have to ask, 'What do I need to do?'

"Our goal is for kids to be able to function in society, and be indistinguishable among their peers."

Reach correspondent Shirley Brinkley at vpwriter@msn.com