Easter Seals Series: Therapy Means Major Improvement for Stribling Boys

BLOOMINGTON- When your child has autism, every day can be a challenge.
But it can just as easily be about progress, and hitting major milestones.

That's the side the Stribling family chooses to stay on.
They say, through Easter Seals, success is a staple in the lives of their boys.
 

Almost every time two year old Rilian Stribling sat down for a meal, he had a tantrum.
Certain foods and textures were too much for him to take.

When he was tired, it turned into a meltdown.

The touch and feel of things were a huge issue.

For two year old Roran, the little things turned into big things, quickly.
And could get out of control fast.

For parents, trying to figure out what's wrong when your child can't tell you, is exhausting.
Fast forward a few years later...to five-year-old Rilian and four-year-old Roran, today.

Messes are not so much of a problem, anymore.

"When I first started seeing Rilian, he wasn't even three yet, when I picked him up. He wouldn't even go near a baggie that had shaving cream on it. And now, you can see, he can play in it," explains Veronica Toohill, one of Rilian and Roran's therapists at Easter Seals.

Now, both boys are getting help from Easter Seals on a weekly basis.
They work on speech therapy, feeding therapy, occupational therapy, to make the small things, like eating mac and cheese, an everyday a success.

"When I first tried it in the past, he gagged when I put it in his mouth," says Toohill. "A lot of misconception is, people think if they're hungry, they'll eat. But when it's the texture of it. The sight of it, they're not gonna eat it. They'll gag, some kids will even vomit."

Now, Rilian can eat several bites...

"It wasn't a huge amount, but to him and I, it was a huge amount," Toohill says.

To some, it may seem small, but those little victories are big game changers for these boys.

"We've overcome a lot of things," Toohill adds.

From the classroom, to the kitchen, to just being a "kid"
The Stribling family says therapy, at Easter Seals, has changed their world.
Helping them make progress, and thrive every day of their lives.