Since her first visit six years ago, Katherine’s journey with us has been full of both challenges and exciting progress.
When Katherine was about 14 months old, she would play aggressively, hitting and biting her parents. She also wouldn’t look them in the eye and didn’t seem to be listening to them.
Her mother, Karla, a longtime CHOC employee, took her daughter to J. Thomas Megerian, M.D., CHOC pediatric neurologist, who diagnosed her with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Katherine was one of the first patients to receive treatment at our innovative Thompson Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center. The center provides a centralized place in Orange County to receive an early diagnosis and advanced therapy.
In the past, along with being physically aggressive, Katherine would cry, throw tantrums and be unable to pay attention in school. So over the years, the center’s psychologists and behavior specialists helped Karla learn strategies to calm and manage Katherine’s behavior issues.
The team also found medications that would work best for her ASD. In addition, the staff coordinated other CHOC specialists to treat Katherine—right at the center—for several medical conditions common among those with autism.
All these efforts have paid off. “Katherine has made so much progress over the past few years,” says Dr. Megerian. “She’s much calmer and happier, and her real personality is coming out.”
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Now seven years old, Katherine will hug family members and look them in the eye. They understand this is how she says, “I love you.” As Karla explains, “We know that Katherine sees us now. Our whole family’s lives have changed, not just hers.”
Karla hopes Katherine becomes as independent as possible in the future and develops
skills for taking care of herself. Through speech and occupational therapy, Katherine may learn to say a few words.
Along with Dr. Megerian and other center experts, the grateful mom declares that “everyone has been so wonderful,” including our receptionists, medical assistants, nurses and child life staff.
This story appeared in the July 2023 print issue of the CHOC Chronicle newsletter.
Learn more about the Thompson Autism and Neurodevelopmental and Neurodevelopmental Center
The center at CHOC is dedicated to bringing the latest treatments and resources to the autism community in Orange County.
