COLUMBUS, OHIO- Jenna Eldred has been trying to get answers for her 6-year-old son, Isaiah, who she says has complex medical conditions. When he was referred by his doctor for an autism evaluation, Jenna knew the journey wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t know it was going to be this hard.
“The waitlists were insane everywhere. The other issue seemed to be that no one would accept his insurance, meaning it would be out of pocket. I was in tears, frustrated, and not sure how I could help my son,” she said.
Jenna was told the waitlist in her area was two years long, which was two years too late for this mom.
“I have always been told to follow my mother’s intuition and that’s precisely what I do. I am not afraid to stand up for my kids and continue to seek answers if need be,” she said.
That’s when Jenna, who is often referred to by friends as “mama bear,” took it upon herself to find a solution. She searched the Internet for “autism evaluations” and that’s when she found a virtual clinic she had never heard of before, called As You Are, which dramatically increases access to early autism diagnostic services through the use of exclusively telehealth appointments. After speaking with a member of the support team, who provided a benefits investigation, Jenna was excited to hear that the cost of the diagnostic evaluation would be covered based on her child’s insurance plan. In tears, Jenna knew she found the answer she was looking for.
“Thankfully, that is when I came across the As You Are ad; which I know God had to have brought to my attention,” she said. “I was able to get an evaluation quickly, within 2 weeks. Everyone that I spoke with was very nice and helpful. What really stood out to me, with this company, is that after the evaluations they don’t stop there, they have staff to continue to walk you through the next steps along this new journey for you and your child.”
Do you have questions about your child’s development? The team at As You Are provides diagnostic evaluations for kids 16 months to 10 years old via telehealth appointments. Learn more at asyouare.com. Check out more family stories here.
