The Impact of Camp U and Field Day
"Full disclosure: our family had so much fun on Unumb Center Field Day last year that we stole the entire show. I knew that my daughter could do many different things in a structured environment like The Unumb Center where she was given lots of verbal or physical prompts, but I wondered if she would be able to generalize and display those skills without prompts in a setting so different and unstructured. We watched in awe as she was able to request help when she needed it, talk about what was going on around her, choose her preferred activities instead of repeating the first or last option listed - she made choices. She interacted with her friends from The Unumb Center. She even forged new friendships without being prompted. To know that she has friends... it's just really big."
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Learning that Saved a Life
"When our son first started at The Unumb Center for Neurodevelopment, he would repeat words and label objects and colors. Recently we had a medical emergency in our family and the person driving our son to the clinic was taken to a local hospital. Upon getting to the hospital, that individual was not able to give any contact information, the hospital staff asked our son and he was not only able to give his name, but also our phone number so we could be reached."
The Impact of Social Groups
"When my son first started the Linked Social Groups, he was struggling socially at school. His communication with other kids his age was labored and awkward. Social interactions with peers was a big part of his IEP. I will never forget the first IEP meeting after his first semester at social group, his special education teacher came to me and asked if we had “changed his meds” because he was a different child and whatever we were doing was working. I quickly told her that we had not changed any of his medications, but we had been attending the social group lessons! She was floored at the changes in his interactions with others, and I was delighted to know that he was learning valuable skills."
Setting the Bar for Quality Care
"I know what quality care looks like. Our son has been in ABA centers across the United States. When I visited this center, I knew this would be a place where our son could grow, but who would also be celebrated for all of his unique qualities. This center is special and truly a gift to this community. The talented and well trained staff create an environment that shows that our children deserve to thrive in this community and there are no boundaries to their success. The staff here acknowledge that my husband and I know our son better than anyone else and have taken time to listen and learn about our son because they see him as a person, who just happens to have autism. A person who has likes and dislikes, a favorite song, as well as a typical older brother who still longs to connect with him. This center has helped me on the journey of feeling hopeful for the future and I know in my heart, this center will provide hope for many other families as well."
