Harrisburg family helped by Pre-K classes

Aydan Wiman, 4, lives three blocks from West Side Primary School in Harrisburg.

When he was 2 he was diagnosed with autism.

Since then he has been attending special pre-kindergarten classes at West Side that address his problems.

His progress has been more than satisfactory according to his mother, Shauna Wiman.

"At 14 months he stopped what was normal growth and development. He stopped making eye contact with us. His speech stopped developing and stayed at the level of baby talk. He has had two years at West Side. It is amazing how much he has changed," she said.

Relief was obvious in her voice when she said, "You can talk to him and interact with him!"

Aydan is now classified as high-functioning autistic.

"He follows directions now. He can make a bed and understands he must follow rules when crossing a street. He does not cross streets without supervision, of course," she said.

Aydan has also learned to control his frustration.

"He has gotten control of his anger. His limitations used to make him so angry. Now, his self-control and his progress reduce the anger outbursts," Wiman said.

"We take it one day at a time. But we hope some day he will live on his own, have a job, get married and have children."

These high hopes seem very possible when meeting Aydan. He seems like a normal cheerful 4-year-old.

That is a testimony to the benefits of the classes that Harrisburg Community Unit School District 3 has been providing at West Side.

It is testimony also to the love and support of Aydan's family.

He has two sisters: 8-year-old Kaitlyn and 5-year-old Kylie.

"Kylie and Aydan have an inseparable bond," said their mother.

The Wiman's paid for extra therapy called Applied Behavioral Analysis. They traveled with Aydan to Carbondale each week for two hours of art and play therapy.

"He is doing great now with textures. He used to be afraid of Play Dough. Now he plays with it normally. He used to just throw it down and refuse it. We wish we could continue to pay for that therapy because he benefitted from it. But the money is not there so we discontinued it."

The school system, through West Side's special classes, helps the boy without charge.

Shauna said, "Just to hear him say, 'Love you, mommy!' gives me a thrill.

"He won't sit still for an eye exam and he won't keep his glasses on. But he has glasses. He just won't wear them."

She said that Aydan's left eye turns to the center of his face, but the eye corrects itself soon after it exhibits this abnormality.

"You can't tell someone is autistic by looking at them," Shauna said. "What they do - their behavior - is what tips you off."

Scientists do not yet know what the cause of autism is. Very recently some suspected that vaccinations were the cause but that theory is out of favor now.

The school's Pre-K Parent Coordinator Gail Alvey was in charge of registration for the special classes and was busy with both testing and registering student Wednesday at McKinley Street Baptist Church. Aydan and his mother were there to get Aydan registered. Registration started Monday and concluded Wednesday at noon.

Alvey is very pleased with Aydan's progress.

She is one of seven paid staff who give support to developmentally disabled students and their families in the Harrisburg schools. The testing at registration helps to place the students in the proper classes where their problems will best be addressed.

Apparently Aydan has been in the right classes.