CHILD TO GET TRAINING OUTSIDE SCHOOL; 3-YEAR-OLD IS AUTISTIC

Vince and Michelle Wingo are taking the educational future of their 3-year-old autistic son into their own hands.

Ten days ago the couple served notice to the Cape Girardeau School District they would be withdrawing their son, Elijah, from the district's early childhood special-education program today.

Instead, they will undertake an intense, one-on-one therapy called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in their home.

"The only therapy with scientific data proven to benefit children with autism is ABA," said Vince Wingo. "It's not a method of teaching; it's a complete curriculum."

School districts are required to assume educational responsibility for special-needs children once they are 3 years old. School officials and parents must agree on what is "an appropriate education" for the children.

The Wingos began requesting ABA therapy for Elijah in January but have yet to receive the district's stamp of approval.

"We are still working with the school district and they are still working with us to get this settled," said Michelle Wingo. "They haven't given us an official no, but we feel he cannot wait any longer to get it."

ABA relies on high intensity, precise teaching techniques to teach children diagnosed as autistic. Parents, teaches and therapists are trained to use a team approach to apply positive reinforcement and behavior management to work with students for up to 40 hours a week.

The technique generally is completed within two years and is most effective when it is begun before children reach school age. It can cost up to $30,000 each year.

The couple said Elijah was a typical child until about halfway through his second year. That is when he became nonverbal and started demonstrating autistic behavior like spinning in circles and toe-walking.

He was diagnosed as having a pervasive developmental disorder, which indicates speech and social delays. In November, he was diagnosed as autistic.

After his initial diagnosis, the Missouri First Steps program covered the costs of a part-time special-education teacher and speech therapist. First Steps only covers children until age 3, however, and Elijah was dropped from the program after his birthday in August.

Elijah entered Jefferson Elementary School later that month and was placed in a special-education classroom with other special-needs children, where he received speech and occupational therapies.

His parents soon noticed new, negative behavior patterns and a loss of some verbal communication skills. He continued attending school with few results until after Michelle, who had worked with developmentally disabled adults in the past, stopped working in November so she could work more closely with him.

"I quit my job so I could have time with him," she said. "We went to a special workshop to learn about behavior modification, and that's when we first heard about applied behavior analysis."

Since that time, the Wingos have interviewed more than 50 parents of autistic children, observed ABA therapies in progress, and researched the therapy in depth. They feel confident they have made the right decision in withdrawing their son from the district.

"I have researched this and researched this and seen miracle after miracle after miracle," said Michelle Wingo. "Even those who didn't see miracles had significant gains."

The couple has received $5,000 from the Department of Mental Health to cover some costs related to the therapy. Local organizations and individuals also have made pledges to cover additional costs.

The family will have to come up with the remainder but said the therapy is much cheaper than its alternative.

"A child who does not get this kind of therapy could cost a school district over $400,000 over the course of his educational career and over $2 million in state money over a lifetime," said Michelle Wingo. "We believe that through this programming Elijah will be able to go into a regular classroom without any support or modification."

Vince Wingo said the school district would lose nothing in providing the therapy. State funding has been set aside for therapy for children with autism as long as parents and school officials agree it is necessary, he said.

"Our plan is for the school district not to have to pay for Elijah. Our plan is for the school district to allow us to access that state money to pay for it," he said. "Our primary goal is to save the district money, and in doing so we'd get our kid back. It's a win-win situation."