Message From CEO

I recall taking my child to a routine wellness check with his pediatrician. That appointment involved checking his ear canal as a part of his physical examination. Not only did my child resist, he had object permanence that lasted for at least two hours. Going to the doctor's was an event that I dreaded as a parent, because I knew what his reaction would be, and I often felt helpless and defeated, as it was challenging to help my child overcome his fear.

This situation was not unique, and it happened during haircuts at the barbershop, sports activities, and even birthday parties.

I was relieved when my child finally got a diagnosis, because I knew that meant we could label the condition and therefore have a targeted way to treat and manage it. It empowered me as a parent and as a caregiver.

It became my vision that one day we will no longer live in a world with stigmas related to Autism, but rather it would be viewed as something that can easily be addressed and managed with direct intervention. It does not have to be a long, drawn-out, and arduous condition that plagues our children academically, socially, or personally during their prime years.

DECODER Health understands that no two children are the same. Each child is unique and is greatly impacted by his/her surroundings, sphere of influence, and culture/way of life. Our goal is to integrate their sources of influence to make a positive impact. In all their roles - as a child, a student, a sibling, etc. - we at DECODER Health are passionate about ensuring that children with Autism become victorious!

Parental instincts: Parents are known to have strong innate instincts related to their children. These gut feelings tend to be unexplainable. If you ask a parent how they just knew something was wrong, they would often say they cannot explain it. They just knew. 

Parental instincts often times can not be taught or transferred. It is a skill that most parents have related to their children and the only way to acquire this skill is to have or raise a child of your own. 

This skill is extremely beneficial when it comes to rearing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. There is so much heterogeneity in the condition such that customized care is very important. A parent’s input and feedback on a child’s responsiveness to treatment can be the key to unlocking a child’s potential. As parents, we should cultivate and leverage this God given skill and collaborate closely with our children’s caregivers in order to maximize the impact of care. 

How?

Be attentive. A loved one once said to me, “my job is to learn everything I can about you”. This is even more important when it comes to our children. We must be deliberate. We must be purposeful. We must listen attentively and do our best to learn our children’s characteristics. 

In other roles in our lives, especially those roles related to careers and formal education, we tend to put our all in it. We put in long hours. We do what we can to get ahead and be financially secure, and we do it passionately. 

How much more than should put into securing the success of our children? We need to pursue their success with the same zeal, if not more. 

I know with the hustle and bustle of everyday life we can get lost in the tasks and activities, but we should do our best to have protected time that is geared towards making improvements. Little by little, inch by  inch, eventually we will meet our goals and our children will thrive!!