Following is a brief profile of a young lady whose circumstances are becoming increasingly typical among Benedictine students.

From a distance, Helen seems like any other 9 year old; she flashes a smile, sits quietly in class, plays easily with toys and runs about the playground full of energy. But wait, come closer, take time and look a little more carefully; you will see that Helen is not like most children.

Since Helen's birth in 1992, something about her was different. According to her mother, Prisca Marvin, "Helen did not interact with playmates or develop speech patterns like other babies. In the first year of her life, we became so concerned that she was falling behind in the development of basic social skills that we turned to the medical community for an answer."

Over the next few months, doctors conducted numerous exams and tests. They assured Helen's parents that their daughter was fine and indicated that Helen's intelligence was actually above average. The doctors indicated, "Helen was just a little slower than other children in the development of speech and socialization. Give her time to grow out of it," they said.

Finally, when Helen was just over 2 years old, the Marvins received news that confirmed their suspicions that something was different about their child. Physicians at Johns Hopkins pinpointed the cause of Helen's developmental delays. Helen was diagnosed with autism.

Autism is a condition often hard to diagnose at an early age, a condition not even mentioned in medical journals until the 1940's, a genetic, inherited condition that was once thought to only affect 1 in 10,000 children but has grown to be diagnosed in as many as 1 in 500 children. It is the third most diagnosed disability after cerebral palsy and mental retardation.

Identifying autism is difficult because it manifests itself in different ways. In Helen's case, the condition resulted in not only a lack of speech development but appropriate social skills. Even those with autism who have language skills are often incapable of negotiating everyday conversations; there is an inability to
manipulate, to tell even the whitest of lies. Taken together, these conditions make it difficult, even impossible for most people with autism to lead a life of independence.

Fortunately, the Marvin's live in Denton, Maryland, a short drive from Benedictine's main campus in Ridgely. They had heard about Benedictine's mission of caring for children with developmental disabilities. They had also heard of Benedictine's focus on developing programs and staff skills to address the needs of growing population of children with autism.

Mrs. Marvin added that she and her husband looked closely at other options up and down the East Coast and San Francisco - including public school inclusion programs. "We would have moved to any school district in the country to find the best program for Helen. But we chose Benedictine because it was what Helen needed; a program with a long history of addressing autism as well as a number of other disabilities including mental retardation. We felt that Benedictine would provide her with a whole canvas of resources to help her reach her fullest potential," she added.

This Fall marks the beginning of Helen's fourth year at Benedictine. As a parent and an extremely busy advocate for autism research (see related article), Mrs. Marvin states, "There is something special about Benedictine. The staff chooses to be there and it is that choice that leads to their amazing ability to work with these children. They have a true appreciation for Helen as an individual; it is clear that they find joy in being with her. Their patience and professional expertise is remarkable and has made a direct, positive impact on Helen."

During Helen's past few years at Benedictine, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin have noticed positive changes in their daughter. According to her teacher, Jennifer Conley, "When Helen first came to Benedictine she was very hyper and she had a hard time staying focused." Ms. Conley's Total Communications II Classroom has been specifically modified to meet the needs of students with autism. Sign language and technological devices that facilitate communication are used extensively in the class and distractions are kept to a minimum. "Today, Helen is still full of energy, but she's calmer and can stay focused. She really enjoys any activities involving the alphabet and she loves arts and crafts," states Ms. Conley. "Helen has recently shown potential in academic areas like writing and some reading activities," she added.

"Benedictine has made such a difference in all of our lives" said Mrs. Marvin. She added, "Our family can now do things together that would not have been possible just a few years ago. We are so very grateful to Sister Jeannette and her wonderful staff."

Helen is fortunate. Her parents are actively involved in her life. They live close enough to Benedictine so Helen can attend Benedictine's day program which has proven to be of optimal benefit for her. They bring her to school every day and pick her up at the end of the day. They also have the financial resources necessary to pay the full tuition for Helen which tops $40,000 each year.

While Mr. Kim Marvin, a Harvard M.B.A., directs an international business concern that requires extensive travel, Mrs. Marvin along with managing the household in Denton, MD, has become one of the country's leading advocates for autism research. In the Spring of 2001, Mrs. Marvin was elected President of the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR). Using her professional background as an attorney with degrees from Georgetown University Law Center and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she directs the activities of NAAR which is the first organization of its kind in the United States concerned with the limited amount of biomedical research conducted into the causes, prevention, treatment and cure of autism. To learn more about NAAR, visit their website at www.naar.org. staff skills to address the needs of a growing population of children with autism.