Meet Matt

Matt’s journey through Behavioral Services has truly been a long and eventful road. When Ms. Shaun first began working with him, there was no physical contact due to his aggression and his unwillingness to participate in anything. At that time, Matt was not feeding himself, not playing with toys, and refusing to use words to express his needs and wants.

From the start, Ms. Shaun never gave up on him. She consistently put supports in place for our family, even leaving sessions with scratches from Matt when he became overstimulated, whether in a positive or negative way. Although it wasn’t always easy for me to hear her suggestions or to make changes in how I interacted with Matt, I knew in my heart it was in his best interest. Over the past five years, her dedication has made a real difference.

Matt has Down syndrome, and from the moment she began working with him, Ms. Shaun suspected he might also have autism. She worked tirelessly to connect us with professionals who could make that determination, and eventually, he was officially diagnosed. Following that, ABA services began in our home, and now Matt attends a local ABA center for half days.

While there will always be challenges with his disabilities, Matt has made real progress. He now feeds himself and, through coordinated efforts between Ms. Shaun and the in-home ABA team, has learned to dress and undress himself, follow simple steps for activities, use visual schedules, and follow picture-based cooking recipes. Even when he was frustrated or stubborn, he was able to engage with her. She incorporated activities he enjoyed, like swimming, and would take him into our pool, knowing how much he loves the water.

One especially memorable moment was when she surprised Matt with his first-ever birthday party. She brought other clients to celebrate and swim, creating an experience he truly enjoyed.

Because of his severe aggression toward himself and others, we decided to remove him from school so he could focus on ABA and more intensive work with Ms. Shaun. Her support reassured us that this was the right choice. She has never left Matt’s side, and now he allows her to hug him, kiss his cheek, and share affection he clearly recognizes and returns her care.

We’ve seen significant changes in Matt’s behavior and initiative; he’s more active, engaged, and willing to try things that interest him. Our whole family has learned that helping Matt succeed requires teamwork, patience, and sometimes lifestyle changes. Without Ms. Shaun’s support, I’m not sure where Matt would be today.

We’re grateful that she has walked this road with us. While there are still bumps along the way, the dead ends we once feared have turned into a path forward.