Courtesy Photo | Corrine Chacon, a representative from Texas State Senator Rodriguez’s office,...... read more read more
EL PASO, Texas — Tyler Mason Maldonado Bloodgood, a son of a 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division non-commissioned officer, woke up, May 30, thinking the most special part of his day would be the trophy he was getting for making the A-B honor roll at school.
To Tyler’s surprise, he got more than a trophy; he was given his own day.
Tyler, an A-B honor student at Jose Damien Elementary School in Canutillo Independent School District, was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at the age of two.
In proclamations presented by Representative Dee Margo and Corrine Chacon, a representative from Texas State Senator Rodriguez’s office, May 30, 2012 was officially announced as ‘Tyler Mason Maldonado Bloodgood Day.’
On April 19, 2012, during National Autism Awareness month, Tyler was presented a ‘2012 Yes I Can!’ Award for Academics from the Council for Exceptional Children in Denver, Colo., as part of the CEC’s 2012 Convention & Expo. At 9, he was the youngest person to win a ‘Yes I Can!’ award this year.
For a most children changes can be moderately stressful, but for an autistic child, the separation from a deployed parent can be traumatic.
“The worst thing you can do to an Autistic child is change, “said Sgt. 1st Class David Maldonado, a non-commissioned officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Special Troops Battalion. “It’s important to acknowledge that when your child is autistic, you have to maintain structure. Any change can cause challenges.”
Families with autistic children do best when they maintain a strict schedule. One way the Maldonado family faces constant change is to ensure Tyler knows what to expect each day: where he is going and what he is doing. To help him to learn how to deal with changes, the Maldonado’s incorporate planned interruptions to their daily rituals.
“We change the schedule, but we also do things to keep it the same,” said Michele Maldonado, Tyler’s mom.
Despite his father being deployed four times since his birth nine years ago, Tyler is exceeding all expectations his parents were given when he was first diagnosed with autism.
“Tyler is pushing, and pushing, and pushing,” said Michele.
When Maldonado was preparing for his last deployment to Iraq with the Highlander Brigade this past summer, he ensured that Tyler was involved in every step of the way -to include helping his dad pack his bags.
Tyler’s mom kept a calendar while his father was gone and marked each day off so Tyler could see how long it would be until his father returned. Even when Maldonado returned from deployments, he took his time reintegrating back into the family.
“We have a ‘Golden Rule’ in our house,” Michele said. “Two weeks before and two weeks after a deployment, Dad doesn’t discipline. He gets a mini vacation from being Dad.”
To maintain his bond with Tyler during deployments, Maldonado would call regularly and talk to his son on the phone. When Tyler was little, Maldonado said a recordable book made at a USO before deploying worked well because it helped Tyler remember his father’s voice.
Maldonado said that duty station moves have hurt Tyler’s progress in dealing with his autism, but the moves have also helped in some ways.
“Tyler is in his 4th school and he is only in the 3rd grade,” said Maldonado. “With each move, he has had to meet new people.”
The driving force for Tyler’s nomination for the ‘Yes I Can!’ Award this year is his biggest cheerleader and traveling buddy – his mom.
“I’m just his Mom, and when I say he did a great job it doesn’t mean a lot to him,” said Michele. “I wanted others to be able to tell him he did a great job so he can believe it,”
The one thing both parents credit for Tyler’s success in school and in treating his autism is Applied Behavior Analysis, a therapy that helps to reinforce good behavior and to reduce actions that may cause harm or prevent a child from learning.
“ABA is truly amazing,” said Maldonado. “I don’t know what we’d do without it.”
Tyler has been working with ABA therapists since he was 5 years old and his father believes that the ABA techniques are 80 percent responsible for the success his son is having today.
“He has not only caught up with his peers, he is excelling them,” Maldonado said.
To ensure that Tyler keeps up with his ABA sessions during vacations and moves, Michele attended ABA parent training, paid for by Extended Care Health Options (ECHO), a supplemental program to the basic TRICARE program.
ECHO provides financial assistance for eligible active duty family members enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program with qualifying conditions.
For Tyler and his parents, ABA therapy and other programs provided by TRICARE’s Autism Services Demonstration have been a blessing.
“I look at where Tyler was and where he is,” said Michele, “He went from banging his head to now, where he’s in a regular classroom.”
“He is really surprising people,” Maldonado said.
A shy and quiet boy, Tyler, who dreams of being a Paleontologist when he grows up, is still overwhelmed by crowds and was uncomfortable by all the attention he received at the ceremony held in his honor at his school, May 30.
His ABA therapy, approximately 14 hours throughout the week, provides him with coping mechanisms to overcome the fear and help him to respond to any uncomfortable situations he faces.
ABA therapy is customized for each autistic child’s needs, skills and interests. Tyler’s parents and therapist incorporate his hobbies and passions in his therapy sessions to make the learning fun and special for Tyler.
Ask Tyler about dinosaurs or science, he lights up, and you’ll find yourself talking to a walking dinosaur encyclopedia.
“Science is huge with him,” said Maldonado. “He really thrives when you talk to him about science and how life works.”
Tyler also likes origami, and thinks about starting an origami club at school one day.
He credits reading for why he’s so smart.
“And also my teachers,” Tyler adds.
The Michele’s biggest goal for nominating Tyler for the ‘Yes, I Can!’ Award is to make other military families aware of all the benefits that TRICARE has to offer to military dependents who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
“A lot of civilian insurance doesn’t pay for ABA or autistic programs and the treatments are expensive,” Maldonado said. “Many civilians have to pay out of pocket and can’t afford to help their children.”
Both David and Michele Maldonado stress that military families should research all the Army systems that are in place to help them and take advantage of all the programs and services that are available through TRICARE, Army Community Services and the Exceptional Family Member Program. They also recommend parents work with their child’s school.
“Go out and get what you can for your kids,” stated Maldonado. “It won’t come to you. You’ve got to push for the help your kid needs.”
“The worst you can get is no, and you won’t know that until you ask,” he said. “The earlier you deal with your children’s medical needs, the better outcome you will have. Don’t wait.”
I am always hearing ‘I’ve moved this number of times’ or ‘I deployed this number of times.’ Excuses why [military families] can’t do things.” said Michele.
“By telling Tyler’s story, I can say ‘Hey, look! You can do this too.’”
For more information on TRICARE’s Autism Services Demonstration and ECHO programs, go to: http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/SpecialPrograms/ECHO/AutismServicesDemonstration
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2012 13:09 |
| Story ID: | 89592 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 143 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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