Meet Mason, our super smart, energetic, playful 3-year-old! Mason has always been extremely intelligent, sometimes too smart for his own good. He has a heart of gold and a smile that never fails to light up the whole room! Being outside is his favorite - riding his four wheeler and dirt bike, playing in the sandbox with his little brother, and swimming in the pool! He loves to make people laugh with silly jokes and is always playing made up games with his own rules. Mason faces daily challenges not only socially but also behaviorally, mainly with expressing his feelings and emotions. This breakdown in communication can trigger extreme meltdowns, especially in public spaces where he is easily overwhelmed and tends to elope.
From a very early age of 11 months old, Mason has constantly toe walked which raised questions for concern. Little did we know, this was the first of many signs to come of his future Autism diagnosis at 3 years old. At just over 18 months old, he began Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Behavioral Therapy to help assist with his challenges. Temperature regulation is another challenge Mason faces.
As parents, we do our best to be mindful of any warning signs or stims that he may or may not present while also actively looking for potential triggers that may trigger the cycle of negative behaviors. Unfortunately, we are not always able to catch them in time and usually once the cycle of irregular behaviors begins, there is almost no stopping them. They can last anywhere from a few minutes to sometimes several hours. We do our best to comfort him in any way possible during these times, while also dealing with the weight of helplessness and heartbreak as we watch our sweet boy struggle and fight through these moments. More times than we would like to admit, we have broken down and cried alongside him as the feelings of defeat are easily overwhelming; only to our surprise to hear, “Mommy, Daddy what happened? Why are you crying? Are you sad? You be happy, not sad.” In these moments, tears quickly turn into sighs of relief knowing that our little Mason is back. We do our best to explain to him the events that just occurred and how it impacts our emotions and feelings too. We will ask him questions about the big feelings and emotions that he just expressed but most of the time he doesn’t remember anything that happened, like he genuinely wasn’t there.
Mason continues to work weekly with his therapists on gaining strength in his legs, while wearing his Ankle-Foot Orthotics (AFO’S) full time. He is also working to learn techniques to help him effectively communicate, control and share his emotions and feelings. While Mason is making amazing improvements, he still struggles with controlling behaviors, sensory regulation, eloping, and sleeping issues. One of the most notable changes in his sensory regulation and aggression control has been through the incredible work of “Uno”, a therapy dog at his weekly behavioral therapy sessions. We are hoping by giving him the tools and resources to better express himself, it will help to reduce his tendency of aggressive outbursts and self harm.
After multiple appointments with his behavioral therapist, it was highly suggested that we look into a Service Dog to help assist Mason. A service dog would allow him to receive the deep pressure stimulation that he needs during times where he is not regulated. Furthermore, it would also provide assistance in preventing eloping; a frequent issue in public spaces when he gets overstimulated. We feel that a service dog would be a great asset for Mason helping to pick up on any abnormal feelings, emotions, or stims that he may be experiencing. The goal would be for the service dog to alert us while also engaging in deep pressure stimulation to help prevent the negative cycle from occurring. We truly believe that a service dog would allow Mason to gain the independence that he so desperately seeks while also hopefully promoting ways to self regulate efficiently and effectively as he gets older. We commit to continue providing Mason with the best resources, education, and tools available. We kindly ask that you please consider supporting Mason on his journey to happiness and self regulation. Thank you!
You can also mail a check or money order to:
W.A.G.S. 4 Kids, 112 East Center Street, Berea, OH 44017
Please make a memo that your donation is for Mason