April 24th, 2013
 Ryan’s parents were overjoyed when their precious, bright-eyed, baby boy was born.
But soon after his birth, they learned that something was very wrong. Ryan’s brain had suddenly stopped growing. They sought opinions from neurologists across the country. But none of them could determine what happened.
Ryan never developed the ability to speak. And his cerebral palsy makes walking so difficult, he’s had to use a wheelchair for most of his life.
His mother, Julie, explains, “Despite Ryan’s tremendous challenges, my husband and I were resolved to do the best we could for him. We . . . → Read More: Ryan’s Story of Hope
April 24th, 2013
 We are proud to release the Spring 2013 edition of “me”, a publication of The Hope Institute for Children and Families. . . . → Read More: me – Spring 2013 Edition
March 26th, 2013
 Jean was a sweet, bright-eyed, baby girl who loved the attention of her brothers and sisters. But around her first birthday, Jean’s mother and father noticed her “drifting away.”
She stared and was unresponsive. She wouldn’t imitate others when they played with her. Her parents sensed something was wrong, so they took her to the doctor.
They were stunned when they heard the diagnosis: autism and cognitive impairment.
On the way home, Jean’s mom, Linda, remembers thinking, “This is still our daughter. We’re going to do our best because we love her dearly. She needs us now more than ever.”
They . . . → Read More: Jean’s Story of Hope
February 24th, 2013
 Robbie is an adorable boy with big, blue eyes and a wonderful smile. Like most boys, he loves to ride his bike and watch baseball games.
But Robbie can’t tell you about the things he loves because he doesn’t speak. He lives with the effects of severe cognitive impairment, autism, cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder.
“Robbie went through endless tests to understand and address his delays,” his mother, Joan, explains. “He was finally diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of two. But nobody could really tell us anything about his cognitive issues at that . . . → Read More: Robbie’s Story of Hope
February 5th, 2013
 Jacqari is a happy 9-year-old student at The Hope Institute Learning Academy (HILA) in Chicago. Like a lot of his friends and classmates, he loves to see, draw and learn about animals. But Jacqari has a type of autism that affects his speech and language skills, so expressing himself can be a challenge.
Like many parents of children with autism, Jacqari’s mom and dad struggled to find support after he was diagnosed at age three. He did well in his Head Start program, but regressed in kindergarten without autism-focused services.
That story changed in 2010 when . . . → Read More: Jacqari’s Story of Hope
January 4th, 2013
 In a lot of ways, Chelsea is a typical girl. She likes shopping at the mall, laughing with her friends – and she loves to dance.
But Chelsea struggles with autism and cognitive impairment, so every day presents significant challenges for her.
For 16 years, Chelsea’s family worked around the clock to care for her at home. Chelsea didn’t eat or sleep regularly, so her mother, Sheila, didn’t either.
As she grew, Chelsea became physically aggressive. She’d scream and throw things, punch holes in the walls and bang her head. Sometimes, she’d bolt . . . → Read More: Chelsea’s Story of Hope
December 5th, 2012
 Matt is a happy, bright-eyed 12 year old who loves to play sports. He shares his enthusiastic smile with everyone he meets.
But because Matt lives with autism, he struggles to do things many children take for granted every day.
When Matt was 7 years old, he fell behind in school. Changes in the class routine upset him and he had difficulty understanding what was expected of him. He became frustrated, aggressive and disruptive. The other children teased him. He had no friends.
Matt’s mother, Renee, knew her son . . . → Read More: Matt’s Story of Hope
December 5th, 2012
 Two years ago Roger was alone. So were his granddaughters. Hannah and Maisee are six-year-old twins who have autism. Roger took them in and quit his job to care for them. He is as devoted as any parent.
Like the uniqueness of snowflakes, these twins experience autism differently. Hannah loves motion. She likes to watch her grandfather toss a ball. Maisee is fascinated by how things work. She wants to discover where air goes into the ball.
His girls’ inquisitiveness is a change Roger sees since they came to Hope 10 months ago. He believes Hope’s care is helping . . . → Read More: Paint-Splotched Clothes Equal Living Life
November 1st, 2012
When Jenna was born, her parents were overjoyed. Stacey and Steve marveled at their child’s tiny toes, her beautiful eyes and her precious little smile. Like all parents, they beamed with pride as their child took her first steps and spoke her first words.
But when Jenna was 14 months old, something happened. She suddenly stopped speaking and refused any eye contact. “Jenna didn’t respond at all when I cooed to her and held her,” her mother recalls. “Now I know that was the autism.”
As Jenna got older, her frustration in communicating . . . → Read More: Jenna’s Story of Hope
October 5th, 2012
 Mark is a delightful, 13 year old boy with a wonderful sense of humor. He’s a big country music fan and loves to sing along with the karaoke machine.
But because Mark copes with autism and bipolar disorder, he has to work much harder to do everyday things that come easily to most children.
About four years ago, Mark’s behavior grew increasingly aggressive and destructive. He refused to cooperate with teachers and family. He punched walls with his fists, broke furniture and was physically violent.
“We were so worried for his safety,” Mark’s mother, . . . → Read More: Mark’s Story of Hope
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