Over the next three days, you will get to know Kyle Gilchrist and his family. In part one, Karen Tararache brings us inside their home to see how they live with autism, taking everything one day at a time, piece by piece.
LOUDONVILLE, N. Y. -- Autism is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in our nation. It affects 1 in 68 children. There are many people with autism, that possess above average intelligence and the ability to excel in academics or music, for instance. However, there are other individuals on the spectrum that are non-verbal and cannot live independently.
"Kyle do you want some muffins?" Jennifer Gilchrist asked her son, Kyle.
When he requested popcorn instead, she replied, "no, we're not going to have popcorn this early."
If you've ever had to do it, you know that moving is hard. It's even more difficult when you have two rambunctious toddlers.
"Kelsey is 5 years old and Kyle is 3 1/2, and we've lived in Massachusetts for the majority of their life," Jennifer Gilchrist said.
The impetus to leave Massachusetts for the Capital Region over a year ago, initially came from a better job opportunity. But it wasn't long before Keith and Jennifer Gilchrist realized that New York state could offer their entire family so much more.
"I would be behind him [Kyle] with a pot and a wooden spoon, and I would be banging it -- and he wouldn't even turn around," Jennifer said.
Kelsey, their first-born, began speaking at 15 months but Kyle, at 20 months old, was still non-verbal.
"What's an owl say?" Jennifer asked.
"Ooooooh," Kyle responded.
So, Kyle began speech and occupational therapy.
"We had his hearing tested and they said, 'it's probably something more,'" Jennifer said.
But soon, a visit to a developmental pediatrician would quickly confirm what Jennifer had feared most.
"Literally if you said anything in the world that you're afraid of, it's your kid having autism."
Kyle had been diagnosed with moderate Autism Spectrum Disorder.
"I kept saying I don't think it's autism because he does this, this and this. He makes eye contact and he likes to cuddle," Keith said.
After the initial shock and emotion, the Gilchrist's acted immediately.
"I cried a lot that weekend," Jennifer recalled.
They enrolled Kyle in an early intervention program at 'Children Making Strides' in Massachusetts. There, he was introduced to'applied behavior analysis,' a series of techniques used to develop skills in people on the spectrum.
The move West, for Kyle and his family, came at the perfect time. He could attend the Crossroads Center for Learning in Schenectady and continue his progress there, until the age of 12.
"We're just focused on the next two years and change that he has before he is released, and see if he is in a good enough place to be in a regular model children's first grade class."
Now that you've had a chance to meet the Gilchrist family in their home, Karen Tararache takes a trip with Kyle to his school in Schenectady. In part two of Piece by Piece, we see how Kyle works on his speech and behavioral skills with the trained professionals at the Crossroads Center for Children.