COXSACKIE, NEW YORK – Theresa Starke’s 4-year-old son, Calvin, spent half his life on a waitlist for an autism evaluation. Over the past two years of not being able to find help, his mother says she felt the ripple effects and was very overwhelmed.
“I didn’t know how to help my son,” she said.
Month by month, Theresa kept pushing to get her son an appointment.
“I don’t play when it comes to my kids. I will fight tooth and nail for whatever I need for them and this is just another one of my mom battles,” she said.
Then one day, she typed these words into Google: “Families dealing with autism and where to find help.” She discovered As You Are, a virtual clinic for autism evaluations for kids.
She says her first thought was, “It doesn’t hurt to try.”
To her amazement, As You Are was able to get Calvin scheduled within two weeks. By getting that appointment, Theresa said she was pulled out of a dark place.
“I actually have hope and see the light at the end of the tunnel. You feel you are locked in a closet and someone opens the closet and you are free again,” she said.
With the rollercoaster that Theresa had been through, it was a relief to have a fantastic experience throughout all three live video sessions with their dedicated As You Are physician.
“As You Are had him with a doctor and diagnosed in a month of me reaching out versus a 4-year waitlist and already waiting 2 years. Dr. Tracy Burton was amazing. I would love to meet her in person just so I could hug her. She made me realize everything I went through was exactly what I was supposed to be doing as a parent and that I wasn’t failing,” Theresa said.
Now Calvin is enrolled in therapies and Theresa is no longer waiting for answers.
She said, “It was like having the Empire State building taken off my shoulders. I’ve been singing As You Are praises to anyone who will listen. Whoever decided to build this should be put in a special place in heaven.”
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 along with useful resources, including an online autism screening. Learn more at asyouare.com.
