Sopars Tauch Hubbard made a post on Facebook on Nov 30, 2018. She was very excited to tell her friends that she was proud of her son --- Kai Tauch-Hubbard. Her post was all about chance, love, proud, and HOPE.

WAAA knows what happened, and why. Today, we are telling you the story about Kai and his families.

Before Kai got a diagnosis.

When Kai was 12 months, he started showing signs of regression, he stopped walking.

When Kai was 15 months, he went from a very quiet and calm baby to just scream a screeching like he was in a lot of pain.

When Kai was 18 months, he was in his own world and spaced out and not respond to anything.

His muscle tone was also different, he wasn’t as stocky as he used to be

He didn’t sleep, run all day and night, slamming himself to the wall or the ground, laughing.

He didn’t interact at all like his older sister.

Kai was self-injurious, eloped, screamed, epic meltdowns, and cried a lot.

“Our family was hostage to his behavior and was afraid to leave him with anyone or go anywhere with also”, Sopars said, “it has been challenging behaviors that lead our family to be in crisis mode”.

 “Kai failed two screening for autism just around the 18-month mark done by his pediatrician. I had to call the department of disability to get him evaluated for delays that’s when he was set up with an SLP(Speech language pathology) at the The Little Red School House.”

When talked about Kai’s diagnosis, she still remembers all those details now.

“It was with The Little Red School house at the time when I had asked his in-home SLP about him showing signs of autism. His pediatrician had prescreened him for it, but I didn’t know much about what it was back than and the day I asked his SLP, Oprah was on and it was an episode about Autism and what it was. To the tee I saw Kai on television. So, I seek a diagnosis. This was also after we have ruled out that he was not deaf and that he can hear just fine.”

The connection between Kai’s families and Trish Thrush at WAAA

Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard were friends with Trish Thrush on Facebook, they started chatting, then meeting up, and now have play dates and outings.

At first, Sopars faced a big challenge to find support for Kaiat school and therapy outside of school without putting a huge financial burden on their family. Trish advised Sopars to get Kai an evaluation, and also sponsored Kai’s tracking device provided by the Project Care Tracker by the Snohomish County Sheriff because he elopes, bolt and wander.

How has WAAA helped (Words from Mrs. Hubbard)

WAAA is a special organization for families living with autism. It’s where I can go to and I get real help with real people who understands all aspects of what we are going through.

1.       They provide training, so I am equipping to be my son’s own advocate. Along with support from advocates to assist with IEP’s and writing letters of request even to OPSI.

2.       They provide resources to help direct families fill a need that’s not met.

3.       They provide events that include the entire family.

4.         They advocators become our family. As we all know we tend to lose family support over misunderstandings.

5.       They provided us with a fighting chance by teaming us up with a lawyer, so my son can finally receive the ABA therapy desperately need.

Huge help versus being on one waitlist after the next. He has a 1:1 paraeducator assigned to him now along with a bus rider. That’s has been huge help through Kai’s days at school.

We now receive ABA services now for Kai. He currently at about 20hours a week and we are adding and aiming for 40hours as he has received the therapy so well.

With ABA also comes with a case manager through Kai’s insurance.

Some updates in regard to ABA

He stopped screaming for his father.

He’s initiated going to the bathroom.

He’s pacing less.

He hasn’t eloped.

He’s using his words more without prompting.

He’s transitioning better and is doing better around crying babies and noses. 

He’s imitating more physically and verbally.

He’s using his words more saying, “All done” instead of just trying to leave.

Getting less upset and having less meltdowns.

What will be implementing:

Chores! Laundry, cleaning, sweeping, vacuuming, prepping food, saying new words and still stepping away from prompting.

Because of his level of compliance, potty training will start again.

“WAAA is a place my family can go to to be part of a family that understands”.

“With the support in place, I can say I as a person is coming back to my own skin slowly.”

“It’s been an entire year of finding the missing pieces and placing them so where they belong. All pieces are important to making our family whole again. It’s not only hope for my son, my family, but me also as the main caretaker.”

Mrs. Hubbard helped as a volunteer for WAAA, as the Snohomish County Resource Coordinator. She also helped with some events, bake sales, the booth.

"I was trained, I attended many events, and learned a lot." She said

Story of Hope series: