Hi all! Hope this update finds you well. We've had a busy couple months with some changes, the biggest of which is that we decided to put our house on the market to sell or lease. Since I am still out of work and Travis' medical costs keep coming it seems like the logical thing to do. The good news is that Travis is still making great progress and this is VERY motivating for us to keep all the outside interventions going as long as possible! We've already had a few showings and are hoping things will move quickly, but if it takes awhile the silver lining is that we get to stay here longer as we do love this house and will be a little sad to leave. It's definitely a challenge to keep the house "ready to show" with an almost-3 and 4 year old in it!
Happily, I have some great examples to report of the progress Travis has been making lately. First, his speech is really improving, with much better articulation and new words, as well as 3 word phrases ("I want ___"). Second, he is starting to play with Julia for several minutes a time without any outside support (this is actually an accomplishment for both of them!) It seems like very 'typical' sibling interactions - i.e. more times than not leading to crying and fighting - but this is a very good sign about the potential for his social skills to expand to others in the future. Third, he started taking swimming lessons and is doing great. A physical therapist had recommended aquatherapy for him and we decided to see if he could handle regular swim lessons first (MUCH cheaper, more convenient, and also he can learn to swim!) and after just a few sessions getting used to going with the instructor by himself he is loving it. Hooray!
Other highlights this month include dressing up for Halloween to attend his "school" party and going trick or treating around the neighborhood , and also playing the game "1,2,3, poke!" which allows me to give him his B-12 injections while he is fully awake instead of having to do them late at night while he is sleeping. A great convenience.
Travis was also evaluated this month for transition to the public school system next month, after our state early intervention services will end on his third birthday. We've just started the process but it looks like they will recommend that he attend an afternoon preschool class at our local elementary school for kids with special needs (PPCD). So we'll see how it goes and probably give it a try if it looks like it could be beneficial.
The other exciting news this month is that I'm getting ready to attend the third Son-Rise training at the Autism Institute of America next week, called New Frontiers. This course focuses on developing and updating the curriculum for your child's program as he progresses. I know that I will learn a lot based on the first two trainings and also get a mental/energy/emotional boost from interacting with the other parents there who have kids with autism and are doing the Son-Rise program, so I'm really looking forward to it.
I'm sure I will have much to report next month too with the holidays coming and all these changes going on... have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
Fund Raising For Travis
Hello! We are Travis’ parents, Laura and Jeff, and have set up this web page in response to family and friends who have been so loving and generous in wanting to help us on this journey. We appreciate all the love and support you give us, and your well wishes are a most valuable resource for all of us!
Travis is a beautiful, sweet boy with an adorable laugh and twinkle in his eye. After developing normally for the first year of his life, Travis stopped babbling around 12 months and became delayed in other areas of development. At 18 months, he was diagnosed with autism. Autism is a developmental disability resulting in challenges in language, communication, cognition, and social interaction. While there are many things that are still challenging and frustrating for Travis, he also gets a lot of joy out of life. He loves to climb and play outside, run around with his big sister Julia (5 yrs old), and play in his "Son-Rise" playroom with family, volunteers, and therapists. At 4 yrs old, he has progressed over the last 2 years from communicating with signs and sounds to speaking in multiple word sentences, and developing much more interaction with others.
Travis’ parents are helping Travis overcome his autism with a home-based, child-centered Son-Rise Program® in combination with biomedical interventions and other therapeutic options. The Son-Rise Program® has helped thousands of children move towards recovery, using an optimistic, loving approach that is based on the belief that all children have a limitless potential for extraordinary healing and growth. Funds raised initially were used to help Travis’ parents attend the Son-Rise Program® Start Up, a five-day group training course at the Autism Treatment Center of America™ in Sheffield, Massachusetts, in September of 2008. Additional funds were used for Laura to attend the advanced Son-Rise training programs Maximum Impact (in March 2009) and New Frontiers (November 2009), as well as to support his enrollment in other therapeutic settings such as the Bridges Program at Texas Children’s Hospital, where he received Floortime, speech, and occupational therapy for a year and a half. Current donations are being used towards continuing private therapy with his former Bridges therapists following the closing of the Bridges program in September 2010 due to budget cuts . To find out more about The Son-Rise Program® visit the website: www.autismtreatmentcenter.org/.
To send a donation for Travis, you can send a check to our address below, or click the "Donate" button on the right to donate with a credit card using PayPal. Please note that this donation will not be tax deductible since we are not a non-profit organization, as the funds raised will help one particular individual. Any amount is most appreciated and helpful, but nothing is as valuable as all your positive thoughts and prayers! We are amazed at the generous outflow of kindness that has already come our way in response to starting this journey. Everyone seems to know someone who is willing to share their story, experience, advice, or information about a new therapy, dietary intervention, educational program, etc. This support has been so very helpful by both providing us information and also letting us know that we’re not doing this alone. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!!!
- Laura Licato and Jeff Meier
Travis Meier
4607 Rainbow Valley Ct, Missouri City, TX 77459
For more information, email: travismeier@sbcglobal.net
Travis is a beautiful, sweet boy with an adorable laugh and twinkle in his eye. After developing normally for the first year of his life, Travis stopped babbling around 12 months and became delayed in other areas of development. At 18 months, he was diagnosed with autism. Autism is a developmental disability resulting in challenges in language, communication, cognition, and social interaction. While there are many things that are still challenging and frustrating for Travis, he also gets a lot of joy out of life. He loves to climb and play outside, run around with his big sister Julia (5 yrs old), and play in his "Son-Rise" playroom with family, volunteers, and therapists. At 4 yrs old, he has progressed over the last 2 years from communicating with signs and sounds to speaking in multiple word sentences, and developing much more interaction with others.
Travis’ parents are helping Travis overcome his autism with a home-based, child-centered Son-Rise Program® in combination with biomedical interventions and other therapeutic options. The Son-Rise Program® has helped thousands of children move towards recovery, using an optimistic, loving approach that is based on the belief that all children have a limitless potential for extraordinary healing and growth. Funds raised initially were used to help Travis’ parents attend the Son-Rise Program® Start Up, a five-day group training course at the Autism Treatment Center of America™ in Sheffield, Massachusetts, in September of 2008. Additional funds were used for Laura to attend the advanced Son-Rise training programs Maximum Impact (in March 2009) and New Frontiers (November 2009), as well as to support his enrollment in other therapeutic settings such as the Bridges Program at Texas Children’s Hospital, where he received Floortime, speech, and occupational therapy for a year and a half. Current donations are being used towards continuing private therapy with his former Bridges therapists following the closing of the Bridges program in September 2010 due to budget cuts . To find out more about The Son-Rise Program® visit the website: www.autismtreatmentcenter.org/.
To send a donation for Travis, you can send a check to our address below, or click the "Donate" button on the right to donate with a credit card using PayPal. Please note that this donation will not be tax deductible since we are not a non-profit organization, as the funds raised will help one particular individual. Any amount is most appreciated and helpful, but nothing is as valuable as all your positive thoughts and prayers! We are amazed at the generous outflow of kindness that has already come our way in response to starting this journey. Everyone seems to know someone who is willing to share their story, experience, advice, or information about a new therapy, dietary intervention, educational program, etc. This support has been so very helpful by both providing us information and also letting us know that we’re not doing this alone. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!!!
- Laura Licato and Jeff Meier
Travis Meier
4607 Rainbow Valley Ct, Missouri City, TX 77459
For more information, email: travismeier@sbcglobal.net
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