CNNH has changed our life. As a toddler our son was challenging; challenging to the point that he was expelled from day care. For years we struggled: our family struggled, the teachers struggled and our son struggled. We had no idea what was going on, despite speaking with many different doctors, therapists and educators. On the surface he was a typical boy, but when he felt anxious or frustrated or challenged he would hit and get very angry. His behavior reminded us of "The Incredible Hulk." We hated to leave the house with him for fear of what he would do next, and he did not care about consequences we established. We were at our wits end. No one knew what to do to help us, so the suggestions were getting more and more extreme. By chance I had met a woman who had been travelling a similar path with her own son and had found answers with CNNH. She gave me the business card and our path to wellness began.
The approach the doctors took in evaluating my son was different than any other we had experienced. They asked a lot of questions and then they listened. They collected data and then they analyzed it, as a team. We had an entire team of doctors working with us, and with each other, to investigate the issues with my son!
It was a process and it didn't happen in one visit, but, but the result was
life altering. At the age of seven we now know why our son has been struggling all these years. Our son has autism. And the problem wasn't that he had autism, rather it was that we didn't know it and that we didn't know what he needed from us.
That has all changed! The doctors at CNNH gave us a very comprehensive list of recommendations to implement. They even outlined best practices for how to best communicate with my son. I gave it to everyone in his life: teachers, therapists, family members, etc. My mother-in-law implemented the recommendations and said she has had the best days ever with him. And, after earning a reward from music he expressed an interest in learning how to play the piano. I actually cried when I read that report, tears of joy! Now that he is more manageable and not so stressed out, he can do these things and I'm no longer afraid to let him fly. The changes we implemented revealed an articulate, bright and engaging seven-year old boy. And, I no longer feel like a bad mom.
My recommendation to other parents who are struggling and searching: If you want to talk to someone who listens, who cares, who wants to actually help your children, then these are the people you want to talk to!
