DMN: A New Autism Resource

DMN Feature Article
Thursday, December 28, 2006

Nonprofit opens facility in North Richland Hills to aid, educate families

By MIKKI KIRBY / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Ten years ago, a group of local parents came together to provide resources for autistic children and their families.
Since then, Families for Effective Autism Treatment – North Texas has pushed the envelope for diagnosis, support and treatment of the disorder.
In November, the group opened the doors to a 4,500-square-foot resource center and library in North Richland Hills that members hope will bring encouragement to families.
"When you have a child with autism, you can get some help, but it's inadequate," said Laurie Snyder, the group's president. "Our vision of this center was to take an innovative approach in bringing families together to a central place for resources."
The nonprofit FEAT-NT provides support by offering workshops presented by board-certified behavior analysts and professionals related to the field of autism. It also has a support center for siblings and provides child care.
And the center's library has nearly 400 books related to autism spectrum disorders thanks to Future Horizons, a leading publisher in autism-related books. The Arlington company partnered with FEAT-NT to provide the largest autism library in the state.
Raising awareness about autism and providing information that leads to early detection and intensive intervention are critical for a child's future, Ms. Snyder said.
Children can be diagnosed by 18 months of age by using a simple screening tool called the CHAT (Checklist for Autism in Toddlers).
"We believe that every child with autism has the potential for their quality of life to improve dramatically when evidence-based teaching strategies like applied behavior analysis are implemented," said Mika Bradford, FEAT-NT's director of community outreach.
Ms. Snyder's 6-year-old son, Nicholas, is on target academically. He reads phonetically and is easily doing first-grade math. But Nicholas still struggles to communicate.
"It's not like other disorders," she said. "If you struggle in public with a child in a wheelchair, people run to your aid. But with autistic children, the behavior looks strange. People assume you are a bad parent. They don't realize that when they go to the store, chances are there is a child there with autism."
One in every 166 children today is diagnosed with autism. Just 10 years ago, only one in 10,000 children were diagnosed.
According to FEAT-NT, treatment is not up to par. Parents are left with limited resources and frustration in how to help their children. Now, local parents have a safe haven to research on their own at the resource center.
"FEAT-NT is an organization for today," Ms. Bradford said. "We provide hope and direction for parents and professionals who are on the front lines of the autism epidemic."
Mikki Kirby is a Dallas freelance writer.