Walk for Autism research raises awareness of condition

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(Arianne Starnes/For The Examiner)
With a family of six, Michelle and Steven Gillespie are trying to promote awareness of autism. They have two twin boys and a daughter with forms of autism and have equipped their house with active therapy toys for their children. Michelle, who serves on the walk committee, will be participating with her family in the Walk for Autism this Saturday at Towson University.

But Steven Gillespie, a Baltimore County police officer, and his wife, Michelle, are also dealing with a serious condition that’s increasingly prevalent today.

Their 2-year-old twins, Stevie and Sammy, were diagnosed with autism at 19 months.

“We had already known something was wrong because they were developmentally delayed,” Michelle Gillespie said. “They were not communicating, pointing, playing, and had sensory issues.”

In fact, she added, the boys had begun to regress developmentally at seven months — an early red flag for autism.

Stevie and Sammy also have a sister, Ashley, with a Pervasive Developmental Disorder diagnosis — a form of autism. Their development is similar but not exact. They also have a brother, Jesse, who is not autistic.

On Sunday at Towson University, the Gillespies will join 600-plus families in the 2nd Annual Walk for Autism Research to raise awareness and money for study. The event is sponsored by the National Alliance for Autism Research and Autism Speaks. There will be music, food, drinks and activities, including face-painting, a moon bounce and a two-hour walk around the campus. Registration for the event is at 1 p.m. and the official walk begins at 2 p.m.

More information can be found at www.autismwalk.org or by calling 410-667-1400 ext. 239 and 410-704-2787.

With $64,000 already raised, the participating families have already surpassed last year’s inaugural effort.

According to the Autism Society of America, 1 in 166 children born in United States are eventually diagnosed with autism, a developmental disability that affects social interaction and communication.

As is common in most but not all autistic children, Sammy and Stevie don’t like to be touched or held and rarely make eye contact.

“It’s heartbreaking when you want to hold your child and they don’t want to be held and you don’t know why,” Michelle Gillespie said.

Trips to the grocery store are difficult because of the endless variety of noises, smells, sounds and people.

Autism takes a financial as well as emotional toll on families.

“In the past year, our twins have seen a pediatric gastroenterologist, pediatric neurologist, psychologist, psychiatrist and have been evaluated by a team of specialists at the Mount Washington Children’s Hospital outpatient feeding program,” Michelle Gillespie said. “Our twins receive Early Intervention services through the Baltimore County Infants and Toddlers Program. They have a special educator, an instructional assistant, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist.

“They also receive services through Kennedy Krieger’s family support services, such as a speech therapist and another physical therapist for craniosacral therapy. Therapists are currently working with the twins four days weekly in our home. It can be very overwhelming at times for all involved, children, parents and therapist.”

rcassie@baltimoreexaminer.com