Kathy Monaghan, Administrative Assistant of the Drug Information Center in the School of Pharmacy at Campbell University, and Emily Bloom, Associate Director of Science Education Outreach in the School of Pharmacy, are more than coworkers. They are parents of special needs children and have found support in each other.”One thing that has helped me was to finally start to speak out loud about my son’s disorder. I no longer felt alone,” said Kathy about her friend Emily. “In finding this voice I found two very special important friends in my life, my co-workers Dr. Mary Margaret Johnson and Emily Bloom. They too have lived through this disease. We have all laughed, cried and lean on each other. I’ve learned a lot through them and have grown a lot through this trial. I truly believe God has placed these wonderful people in my path.”Kathy and Emily work together to bring awareness to others about Autism and Spectrum Disorders, including Asperger’s Syndrome. They are actively involved in the local chapter of the Autism Society. April is Autism Awareness month, and they are speaking to Campbell University’s Teaching Fellows program to help future teachers recognize symptoms of Autism. They are also sending awareness packets to all the principals in Harnett County and all the deans on Campbell’s campus.Kathy and her husband Patrick, a graduate of the M.Ed. program from Campbell University, have a six year -old son named Bryce who has been diagnosed with mild-moderate autism. Emily and her husband Tim, who is an Associate Professor at the School of Pharmacy, have a 14 year- old daughter named Annie who has Asperger’s Syndrome.According to the Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children (TEACCH) website, Autism is one of the most common developmental disabilities in the world, affecting approximately 1 out of every 150 children. It is a lifelong disability with no known cure at this time. The symptoms of autism tend to appear very early in life, usually within the first three years. In general, these include: Significant problems in language development Significant problems with understanding and engaging in social interactions Inconsistent sensory response patterns-for instance, periods when hearing appears to function normally and periods of apparent deafness Uneven pattern of intellectual development Significant, highly-focused restriction of interests and activities “It is imperative to raise autism awareness in Harnett County especially since there are multiple autistic classrooms located in Bryce’s school in Lillington. These classrooms contain children who have been diagnosed from the mild to severe end of the autism spectrum,” said Kathy. “In my opinion it is crucial to be aware of this disorder very early when your child is developing and accomplishing their milestones. We need more parents to be aware of what just doesn’t seem right with their child’s development.”Emily explained Asperger’s Syndrome is on the far right end of the autism spectrum.”Annie is able to function quite well in most situations at school and in public,” Emily said. “She has always been in a regular classroom at school. She was diagnosed in the summer after sixth grade.”Having special needs children has caused struggles and challenges for both families.”We have faced the challenge of being placed on waiting lists for services Bryce needs,” said Kathy. “Another challenge has been to make sure his IEP (Individual Education Plan) is followed. This is a legally binding contact of services between the parents and the school and it is something we monitor frequently. Bryce is in a self- contained autistic first grade classroom. He absolutely loves attending school every day and looks forward to the time he spends with his friends. Bryce is extremely bright and needs to be academically challenged daily.” With these challenges, the families still like to keep a sense of normalcy in the house. “Annie has been through a lot of testing in her 14 years and has really never changed from being the child that we knew in her early years,” said Emily. “She is doing very well in her first year of high school. She loves her cat Zeb. Her musical talent is keeping her busy. She can play the recorder, the clarinet and taught herself how to play the trumpet and a little on the drums. Her social skills are constantly evolving.”Kathy involves Bryce in many things outside of school that his typical peers would do.”Bryce goes to the grocery store weekly to assist us with the shopping and learn what is involved in the process,” she said. “He attends movies and restaurants. He is involved in private swimming lessons at Campbell University.”Kathy said he has an instructor named Tabitha who is a senior at Campbell University.”She has such patience with Bryce and is so sweet and kind to him. She treats him with the respect he deserves,” she said. “Another challenge in our lives is to make sure that Bryce gives and receives the respect of others. We are teaching Bryce to have self- worth and confidence as well. We constantly tell him how very proud we are of him.”Kathy thinks it is important to treat Bryce like any other typical peer his age and wants to encourage him to do anything he sets his mind to.”We desire the very best for him and want him to be successful and to know how to care for himself and attend college; hopefully at Campbell. The positive story we can share is how astounding it is to see the world through Bryce’s eyes,” she said. “Bryce has taught Patrick and me patience, unconditional love and kindness. Seeing Bryce accomplish his academic and developmental goals makes us swell with pride daily. One reward we have been so fortunate to have is being able to tell Bryce how very much we love him and to hear “I love you too Momma and Daddy.” For more information about this condition please contact Kathy Monaghan at 910-893-1478 or Emily Bloom at 910-893-1842. You can also visit the CDC Autism Information Center website at www.cdc.gov/ncbdd/autism.
Campbell University staff raise autism awareness