Ethan (Five-year-old boy)

 

Ethan, is almost five years old. He has a very small build and looks like he is only three. He was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when he was just past two.

 

Ethan has been growing up in an energetic, loving and attentive family. Not only has his father and mother taken good care of him, but Ethan’s grandmother, and two aunts have all devoted a lot of love and time to help with Ethan’s learning.

 

After the diagnosis, Ethan's dad and mom tried various treatments hoping to improve Ethan’s problems associated with ASD. As time passed by they did not see any improvement in Ethan's condition. It was as if Ethan’s language, social, and emotional development all got stuck around the age of one or two and could not move forward. Understandably the whole family worried. Ethan’s parents took him to our clinic with the hope that neurofeedback would be able to help Ethan to grow and break out of his developmental stuckness. 

 

Before training, Ethan did not like nor knew how to communicate with people. He lacked both eye contact and meaningful facial expressions. Compared with children of the same age, Ethan exhibited delays in language as well as emotional, social, and motor development.

 

Typically Ethan would sit quietly on the floor and play alone with his toys. “Thomas the Train” is his favorite. He played with the train in exactly the same way every single time with no change or flexibility. Pressing his small face to the floor he would focus his eyes on the turning wheels while paying special attention to the sound of the train passing the platform. His mom told us that if no one deliberately interfered with him, Ethan would just silently watch the Thomas train circle around the track for hours on end. Ethan would remain mute as if time had come to a halt in his own idiosycratic unchanged world.

 

If his mom or someone else attempted to talk with him or wanted to join Ethan's game, he would ignore them completely. No matter how much others tried to attract his attention with other toys, sounds or touch, no matter how many times they tried, Ethan would act as if he did not hear, realize, or feel their existence. His mom said that even if Ethan occasionally glanced at her or matched her eyes, his eyes seemed empty.

 

Ethan did not care about his younger sister, Sophia either. He would not talk to her or play with her. According to their mom, he didn't seem to know that he had a sister. He appeared to be completely disinterested in her existence. Ethan has been enrolled in an education organization dedicated to children with special needs. There his performance in school has been similar to that at home. He lived only in his own world.

 

Sometimes, Ethan would suddenly mumble or sing loudly. In talking to himself, he would randomly mumble about unrelated past events. Even with family members nearby, there would be no eye contact or verbal exchange during the process when he verbalized.

 

All these made observations made Ethan's parents very sad and disappointed. They wanted to help Ethan break out of his closed world. They wanted to enter his world to communicate with him.

 

After receiving intensive neurofeedback training for two months, Ethan began to speak in simple sentences with proper grammar and sentence structure and to ask and answer daily questions. For example, he knows how to say "Mommy, I want paper to wipe my hands." "Thank you, Mommy." "I want a cup." "I want to drink cold water." "Good morning, aunty." "Mummy hug, hug me." "Are you ready? I am ready." He will also actively invite his mother and aunt to interact and play games with him. He no longer plays exclusively with his Thomas train but now chooses from a variety of toys. 

 

During games, Ethan will ask questions as well as appropriately respond to questions asked of him. He cheers with a crisp laugh and makes appropriate and meaningful eye contact with his parents and aunts. On the playground, Ethan has started to play games with other children chasing one another. He also shows appropriate and rich facial expressions.

 

His mother told us that one day Ethan took the initiative to ask her for two pieces of chocolate. She only wanted to give him one, but Ethan insisted on two. His mom first thought that this was a sign Ethan's rigidity again. Knowing that she could not change his mind she gave him two pieces. Unexpectedly Ethan immediately gave Sophia, his younger sister, the Melody chocolate that she likes very much. At the time, Sophia was napping so Ethan carefully put the piece of chocolate in her palm. He then proceeded to play with a pinball machine by himself. After a while, the chocolate fell to the ground from the still sleeping Sophia. Ethan saw this and again carefully put it back into his sister’s hand. His mom was astonished and moved by Ethan’s love and connectedness towards his sister. It was obvious to her that Ethan really is different from before. She tells us that unknowingly her eyes turned red and she took Ethan into her arms.

 

Ethan's eating habits have improved a lot. He used to be a picky eater and only ate small amounts of pork. Besides pork Ethan now also eats a variety of foods including fish and chicken. His appetite has increased quite a bit. He has gained some weight and he looks rounder and cuter.

 

Compared to previously Ethan uses much less time to finish a meal. It used to take him more than an hour to finish. He’s now got it down to about 40 minutes. This makes it much easier for his mom and others to take care of Ethan.

 

From these changes and observations, his parents are seeing Ethan began the journey of breaking out of his previously self-enclosed world. He is learning how to open up, communicate, get along with others, and enjoying the fun of interacting with other people. The atmosphere at home has changed significantly becoming more relaxed, cheerful, and happy. His parents now have hope for Ethan’s development, growth and future!

 

Ethan, your smile is lovely, your voice and laughter are very cheerful and cute. Your world is no longer just yourself. You can now feel the presence of your dad, mom, Sophia, grandma, aunties... And, yes, they are all part of your world.

 

Ethan, we all look forward to your continuous progress and breakthroughs. Atta boy, we all support your marching forward!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!