Center Offers Hope for Children with Autism

Intensive therapy and one-on-one instruction are the cornerstones of a new Port St. Joe center for autistic children.

The Growing Minds Center seeks to equip autistic children with the tools to function and thrive in a mainstream society.

Located in the Long Avenue Baptist Church nursery facility, the center opened on Monday with an enrollment of five students, ages 3-13.

Autism is a spectrum disorder with a range of behavioral characteristics. Those with autism can be high or low-functioning, and in some cases, can have higher than average IQs.

Common characteristics include difficulties with social interaction, communication and speech; highly restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior and a high resistance to slight changes in routine.

Christine Hermsdorfer, a board certified behavior analyst, founded the center.

She will work with Stephanie Petrie, who has a bachelor's degree in psychology and aide Wanda Miles, teaching a therapy called Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

ABA teaches people with autism social, motor, verbal and reasoning skills, utilizing a highly individualized, observation-based approach.

Though initial student assessments will guide individual treatment goals, the center's main mission is to help children become as independent as possible.

Hermsdorfer stressed the need for early detection and treatment of autism.

"The younger they are, the better chance we have," she said. "It's not that (older children) can't be helped with ABA, but the outcome generally isn't as great."

Children with autism generally exhibit signs within their first 6-8 months of life by their failure to maintain eye contact.

Though babies with autism have normal motor functioning, their communication and social behaviors do not develop like those without the disorder.

Hermsdorfer said most children are diagnosed with autism around the age of two, when they fail to begin speaking.

Pediatricians and psychologists can diagnose the disorder, and the Gulf County School district has a team in place to identify students who need special instruction.

There is no "cure" for autism, but therapy can reduce, or in some cases, eliminate the disorder's symptoms.

Hermsdorfer has witnessed tremendous gains using ABA therapy during her time in Port St. Joe Elementary School's Cluster Class, where she served as a behavioral therapist, as well as in private practice.

One of Hermsdorfer's five-year-old students, with whom she works four hours a week, has made impressive strides.

"He's gone from barely talking to making conversation," she said.

According to Hermsdorfer, a young child who receives ABA training 30 hours a week can be mainstreamed into a regular classroom in one to three years.

Students at the center will initially learn through reinforcement. Instructors will reward progress by gifts of edibles and toys until such incentives are no longer needed.

Students will also learn to request objects, like drinks and lunches.

Older students will receive self-help and self-awareness training, learning skills such as tooth-brushing and being more aware of cars entering and exiting parking lots.

Once a child learns a skill, Hermsdorfer will ask his or her parent to require the use of those skills at home.

"As they master skills, I want them to practice them in a lot of settings," said Hermsdorfer.

Hermsdorfer will work with the younger students Mondays through Thursdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the older students on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Parent training will also be an essential component of the center's work.

"We're kind of starting a support group," said Hermsdorfer, who notes that it can be extremely difficult for parents to receive an autism diagnosis.

The kind of intensive student therapy offered by the center is expensive.

Annual tuition expenses range from $28,000 for 25-30 hours of therapy a week to $11,000 for 8-10 hours.

The center currently receives no state funding. Hermsdorfer is pursuing grants and has staged several fundraisers, with other events planned to cover the center's expenses (see sidebar).

S.E.E.D. Kids, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization will sponsor the center while it pursues non-profit status.

S.E.E.D. stands for "Serving Early Education for Disabled Kids." David and Tina Whitfield founded the organization to provide funds and services to Gulf County's disabled children, their families and related educational institutions.

The Whitfield's 10-year-old son, Harley, has autism and will be attending the Growing Minds Center.

Donations made to the center via S.E.E.D. Kids are tax deductible.

Contributors can choose to sponsor an individual child's treatment, donate money to be applied to all treatment or donate materials for use in the treatment setting.

For more information on the Growing Minds Center or upcoming fundraisers, contact Christine Hermsdorfer at (850) 227-4392 or christinetfh@aol.com.

Growing Minds Center Upcoming Fundraisers: 

Aug. 23, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. (ET) Garage sale at Vision Bank in Port St. Joe

Sept. 20 - 4-8 p.m. (ET) Wine tasting, concert, silent auction at Prickly Pear in Mexico Beach

Oct. 11 - 9 a.m. 10K race and 1 mile fun run at WindMark Beach

The center needs volunteers for all fundraising events, particularly the 10K race and fun run.

To volunteer, contact Christine Hermsdorfer at (850) 227-4392 or christinetfh@aol.com.

The Center would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for donations and services:

Scallop Cove

Vision Bank

WindMark

Beach Realty

Dana and Charlie Black

Long Ave. Baptist Church

Gene Abrams

Sheri Scott

Turtle Beach Inn

Happy Ours Kayak and Canoe

G.W. Heating and Air Conditioning

Petals by the Bay

Palm Tree Books

Expressions from the Heart

Trask Design Studio

Portside Trading Company