WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — April is Autism Awareness Month and in that spirit WXYZ is introducing you to a special young man named Chase.
When Chase was 3-years-old, despite extensive speech therapy, he could not make sounds. By age four, he started to make sounds, but still could not speak words. Some experts warned he may never develop spoken language. Usually, that window is felt to close quickly once the child passes age 6.
Chase's parents brought him to Kaufman Children’s Centerwhen he was five. There he was diagnosed with Severe Apaxia, on top of Autism Spectrum Disorder. With that diagnosis, different treatments were provided. There, therapists choose to implement high-tech devices first. Chase had previously used an iPad to communicate but learning sign language resulted in his first attempts to talk.
Chase went from completely non-verbal to being able to ask for what he wants using full sentences.
For those who work with him, it is motivating to see such progress.
“It is just like a miracle,” said Nancy R. Kaufman, owner of the Kaufman Children’s Center. “I feel like I have the best occupation in the world and I never want to give it up.”
“His journey has just been amazing,” said Bina Sibary, Chase’s Mom.
“He surprises us all the time. You have to stay positive,” said Brian Sibary, Chase’s Dad.
