This is why we do what we do

Testimonial for DTS Practice Owner and Speech-Language Pathologist, Stacy Levy, CCC-SLP.

My son, Alex, is on the autism spectrum.  That is the latest term used to describe his neurological medical condition.  Since his birth nearly 33 years ago, his condition has been described as autism, pervasive developmental disorder,  hyperlexia, and Asperger’s syndrome, among others.

Although over the decades since he was born I had sought out diagnosis and treatment from many different healthcare providers, physicians of different specialties such as pediatricians, neurologists, pediatric neurologists, and psychiatrists, speech therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and behavior modification specialists, the day both he and I were truly blessed is the day we found Stacy Levy.

We live in the New Orleans area and I am a single mother with two children and I have a very hectic and stressful job.  Stacy agreed to see us on Saturday mornings.  We drove from the New Orleans area to Baton Rouge every Saturday morning for several years.  Stacy became our lifeline of hope and progress.  And I use the word “our” very intentionally.  She spent hours and years working with both of us together so that I could learn how to understand and work with Alex to be my best as his mother and so that he could learn to understand the triggers for his autistic behaviors and to process visual, auditory, vestibular, and other sensory input.   We both learned to slow down before speaking and reacting.  I learned to “throw Alex a curveball” and he learned to adapt to changes in his routine.  I began to see and experience the world through Alex’s unique perspective, allowing me to be his “guide” and he my “apprentice.”

Alex and I worked with Stacy from his teen years through adulthood.  I can truly say that Stacy was our miracle in the journey of his life with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and my life as a mother of a child with ASD.  Her expertise, her constant search for new and innovative ways of treatment, her compassion, her deeply felt concern, her steadfastness, and her ability to reach both of us have lead us both to a better relationship as mother and son and to helping me help others who work with Alex.  Even though we do not now see her regularly in therapy, she is like a cherished member of our family and true friend who is very close to our hearts.

Congratulations, Stacy, on the milestone of your clinic.  You  have made a lasting impact on us and we use and gain from your work with us each and every day.