CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A new autism treatment center is offering new resources for children with autism living in Hampton Roads. The facility is opening in Chesapeake just ahead of World Autism Day this Sunday, April 2.
"We are opening up the center because there is a big need for autism services in general," said Mark Crevelli, the facility's clinical director. "Center-based services are a unique opportunity to provide more intensive support."
Support that parents like Melanie Nardelli-Allan have been searching for for years.
Nardelli-Allan's son Stryder was on a waitlist for two years before receiving his autism diagnosis, something she says isn't uncommon due to the lack of resources for children with autism in Hampton Roads.
"We lost two years of therapy, two years of helping him, two years of figuring out what is going on," she said. "We were on a waitlist for a waitlist...The largest brain growth for children is from zero to five, and then after that, you lose a lot."
The new autism treatment center is hoping to catch kids before those critical years expire. Operated by Behavior Frontiers, the facility specializes in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and focuses on learning through play.
Right now, the organization offers at-home therapy sessions. While they will continue offering those services, the autism treatment center allows children with autism to develop skills in a more realistic setting and interact with others.
"We have the opportunity to bring other adults in and, like, role play some of these things, practice some of these self-advocacy skills with peers," explained Crevelli. "It gives the chance to practice some of the skills that we teach in a more realistic setting than we would have the opportunity to do in the home."
While typical toys like dinosaurs and books fill the space, clinicians trained in ABA use them to teach children with autism social and interpersonal skills.
"[The toys] are not necessarily different, but it's the way that we use it within the therapy," said Crevelli. "We'll start the activity and have them request different things and expand the language."
The treatment center is equipped with a playground, a one-on-one learning space, tablets, and even special toys for kids with sensory needs. All of these can be utilized during ABA therapy.
"These kids are going to be members of our society... How are we going to integrate them and make them feel welcome? And this is just a small step towards that," said Nardelli-Allan.
Her son Stryder has been undergoing ABA therapy since October. She says she already sees the difference.
"Stryder was having a lot of struggles in school. He really wasn't making friends. Now he's doing a lot better," she explained. "He actually ended up getting a little reward yesterday for his behavior, which we hadn't seen prior...I was a proud mamma."
The new facility can help 28 kids like Stryder while offering an additional childcare option for parents. Nardelli-Allan says finding childcare for children with autism in Hampton Roads is difficult.
"For after-school care, or summer, there's really only one place for him to go," she said. "And as far as after-school care, there really isn't anything in the area that can help address that for him. So private care is really where it's at."
The center will also bring kids with autism together in a communal space, allowing them to interact with peers who are just like them.
"I think that's difficult for kids with autism because they know they're different," said Nardelli-Allan. "And so when [Stryder] is in a space with other kids that get him, that's so uplifting for him."
"Once we get a number of clients in here, together, there will be all kinds of opportunities to build skills," said Crevelli. "Social skills, play skills, following group instructions, getting them ready for school."
Behavior Frontiers is celebrating the grand opening of the new treatment center this Sunday, April 2, on World Autism Day. The open house is from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 1001 Scenic Parkway, Suite 104 in Chesapeake.
