The story of Elene
I am Tina from Georgia, the mother of 7-year-old Elene.
In our case, regression started when she was 20 months old. She stopped communicating with us and she was no longer using words. Elene is nonverbal now. In therapeutic environment, she’s learning how to communicate her needs using pictures (Picture Exchange Communication System) and lately she’s succeeding – already knows how to ask for several preferable items.
She was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2, and after a few years she also was diagnosed with NRXN1 2P.16.3 deletion (Denevo). She has muscle weakness, joint hypermobility and from the age of 6 she also started having seizures. With the help of therapeutic services she’s involved in she’s slowly but steadily advancing in different skill areas. Physical therapy helps her a lot and it makes us very happy. Also, her visual perceptual skills got improved at the expense of which it has become possible to work on the acquisition of alternative communication systems.
She is my dove of peace on earth! She has this amazing ability to feel how a person feels towards her and she returns the same energy and emotions that people express to her. She loves to laugh and get huge hugs, she is the sweetest girl.
Elene graduated from kindergarten and is now in 1st grade. She taught me how to see the world differently, how to appreciate every little achievement and to be patient. I have high hopes that years later I will write a very cool, inspiring and hopeful story about Elene.