Mickey* started attending Kidango’s Early Intervention program six months ago. He showed severe signs of autism spectrum disorder and was previously diagnosed with PTSD. Mickey was a typical two year old except the fact that he didn’t make any eye contact with others, he got very aggressive with people who approached him and the only way he ate his food is in a liquid form. Mickey’s mother, Christina*, became pregnant with Mickey while she was a victim of human trafficking. As a result, Mickey spent his days in the hands of the traffickers where he had little to no supervision while his mom was coerced to work. Just six weeks before starting at Kidango, Mickey and his mom escaped to find a better life.
Since Mickey’s referral to Kidango, he has shown many developmental milestones. Jennifer Boyden, Early Intervention Services Program Manager describes Mickey as a completely different kid: “ “Not only is he independent now, he engages with his peers and has started to eat solid foods. He is joyful and absolutely thriving!”
–Jennifer Boyden, Early Intervention Services Manager
*Name was changed to protect privacy of the individual