Parent Testimonials
Stephanie O'Brien, Mother of Shannon
"My son Shannon is now verbal and is a very social person. I give credit to the EA program for that. Shannon is an only child, and my friend’s children are all teenagers so he really didn’t have children his age to be around. EA gave him the socialization tools he needed to start in life. EA is much different than other programs we looked into. There is more 1 on 1 communication and care in EA and the setting of a pre-k classroom really worked for my son. Also with him being non-verbal while in EA, he received the foundation for the speech he would later gain. It not only helped him with being social, but also got him ready for school as well. …he is thriving and doing so well! He is not only interested in academics, but also in learning about his friends and classmates."
So, the types of changes that I’ve witnessed in Grayson since he’s been at Achievements is his ability to communicate with his teachers and his environment. …
“So, the types of changes that I’ve witnessed in Grayson since he’s been at Achievements is his ability to communicate with his teachers and his environment. … I’ve seen a vast improvement in his ability to relate to his peers…. Social interactions have increased immensely. Additionally, his teachers are saying that his peer interaction, playing small games [like] “My turn, their turn” has increased a great deal. …The Early Achievements program has helped Grayson’s vocabulary a great deal, in terms of the number of words that he’s using, the combinations of words, and it’s been an explosion. He’s going from ‘Hello, hi, bye,’ to ‘Blue cat, red cat, green cat. I want to find my cat. Where is my cat?’ It’s all been, almost unbelievable, to be quite frank, from somebody who spoke very little at all … to expressing things from scratch on his own…. That has been very impressive to me, … how this program works. …I would say to any parent who’s heard about it [Early Achievements], when the opportunity comes, please jump on it, because you will see changes in your child.”
When our daughter received her ASD diagnosis
“When our daughter received her ASD diagnosis, as a mother and as a speech-language pathologist, I was determined to have her early intervention experience be as collaborative as possible, and I think we've achieved it. The incredible momentum of success we are now experiencing as a result of this program truly cannot be underestimated. ...- there are so many things she wants to communicate, explore, and re-enact through play that clearly stem from her Early Achievements experience. Her ability to now initiate and respond to simple and more complex routines and communicative exchanges has made our life at home so much easier and meaningful for her. I know this blossoming of language and social skills is attributable to the Early Achievements program because I've watched it happen, every week. The observation room has given me the opportunity to 'get inside' her head and see other ways to approach my child that she really, truly responds to- with the added benefit of expanding my 'parenting toolbox' in so many ways! It has also been a hugely important factor in her carryover and mastery of skills between the program, preschool, and home and how we have been able to facilitate and specifically target an incredible variety of her strengths and weaknesses collaboratively. It is one thing to notice and appreciate the progress your child is making yourself- but quite another to have grandparents, friends, teachers, our pediatrician and other service providers comment on it whenever they see you.
“She's learning how to be a friend through the group dynamics and scaffolding the ... staff have been able to put into place. Additionally, the group setting has exposed her to the 'theme' units in a variety of ways as each child in that class learns differently, and she has started to tune into it and learn in other ways herself! Within this group setting in Early Achievements, I am both personally and professionally amazed at how personalized the program is for each child. It is embedded into the routine and setting of the group in a way that is obvious that it has been planned and thoughtfully incorporated. ... I truly believe I witnessed my daughter begin to understand the concept of a 'name' and how each person in her life (including herself!) has one over the course of the first few weeks- it was like watching her brain unlock and start to understand in new ways. Before this program, my daughter was imitating 'mommy' and 'daddy' but didn't quite understand what they meant and was not saying them spontaneously. I can't express how much happiness it has given us to now have her now call from us across a room, saying things like 'Mommy, help me!' or 'Daddy's home!', be able to tell others her own name when asked, and greet our extended family members and friends by name. Similarly, a specific area of growth for our daughter that we quickly noticed was through the prepositions and basic concepts being constantly reinforced throughout their daily routine. It has opened the door for her to follow directions at home and at preschool- she truly loves being a helper and now has the skills to listen and do things herself! It is a joy to see her take so much pride in her new independence. It has been incredible to see her skills develop and we couldn't be happier with her progress. I am incredibly grateful for our experience in the Early Achievements program."
Father of Israel
“The achievements program at CARD, has played a key role in my son’s development, in the areas of language and social communication and interaction. By creating an environment which stimulated my son’s desire to be in a social setting which gave him a ‘comfort zone’ to engage in activities with his peers. My son Israel, would ask with enthusiasm, every day, ‘Daddy, am I'm going to Achievements today?’”