There are challenges when raising any child, but when that child has a disability the challenges seem to multiply before your eyes. The biggest challenge we faced was finding the right academic setting for David when he began elementary school. His original setting was in a cross-categorical kindergarten with EMH/TMH students. Each day the students were given worksheets to complete and it would take them the entire day, except David. Academically he functioned at a much higher level and completed his work within fifteen minutes and then began reeking havoc in the classroom. The school would call for us to come and take him home almost every day; but we stood firm. He was guaranteed an education just like all students, but his behavior was preventing him from what he needed academically. David was finally assigned a one-on-one aide, but things really didn’t improve. The school threatened to expel him and continually called our home. During this time we continued to search for other options for David. We went on many interviews, but the schools were not interested in enrolling a child with autism. Finally we found a school, but within 15 months the program closed and David was transferred to another school. His behavior escalated when the common wall to the room was shared with the gym. The noise of the whistle being blown to get the attention of the students, and the screams and yells while the children were in the gym, were just too much for him. We felt like we were at the end of our rope when someone suggested we contact Easter Seals. Within days, one of their staff members went to the school David was attending to observe him in the classroom setting. We received a call to come for an interview and complete paperwork. The first day the bus picked David up to attend Easter Seals at the State Street location was a new chapter in our lives. He still had behavior issues, but the staff worked with him and also with the family to begin to control his outbursts and tantrums. David was treated with respect and compassion, but there were also expectations, something we felt had been missing in the other educational settings. As the days, months, and years flew by, we saw a young man begin to emerge that has a zest for learning, could be quite the joker, and enjoyed going to school each and every day. He even had friends, something as parents we were so excited to see. Through this entire process, we have lost many who we considered friends because they could not accept our child. As a family we had been invited to their homes for various functions. After David’s diagnosis and his struggles became clear, the invitations were only for my husband and I; our children were no longer included. We were a family unit and no one was going to divide us. This truly has been an educational journey for us all. One thing, however, that David has taught us all is to be “accepting” of everyone - both disabled and non-disabled”. There is no discrimination in the eyes of our son - just a free spirit that enjoys going to work every day, being with his friends at Easter Seals (students and staff), and cheering on his Chicago teams - The Sox, The Bulls, The Bears, The Hawks.

Lynn Cahill