Once you have Medicaid / Tefra

This is where you can BREATHE!!!!


All of your therapies... dentist.. doctor visits etc; get taken care of.. thank you JESUS!!!!

Here are a few things you may or may not know....

You can receive a gas reimbursement check.. HOW???

Contacting : Patricia Johnson # 1-866-381-4856 ext 220.... mention to her about your child. medicaid # ,DOB , you being the driver etc.......she'll walk you through this (Very Sweet ) .

You will be sent mileage logs & you'll call into Logistic Care & they will need your info for appt time, place address & therapist or doctor's name...

It seems like a lot.. but EVERY LITTLE BIT OF $$$ HELPS!!

Then there is Insurance Reimbursement... if your plan is through work & is grouped with the whole family.. your LUCKY.. they will pay for ALL of your family... of course they have to justify you keeping your current health insurance... you' ll have to some leg work.. to show all the expenses your child needs etc;

Here is the info:
DHEC Hipp program
# 803-933-1800 ask for Carrie

She's also very sweet!

Then there is A PCA waiver ( your EARLY INTERVENTIONIST should help you/ or have you on the list)

This provides you w/ 10 hours a week of HELP.. PCA stands for Personal Care assistance.
This person helps you bath, cook, do odds & ends .. this is so NICE!!!! " LOVE IT"

Let me know if you need any assistance w/ ANY of this .........

GETTING HELP!

1st Step (Child under 3yrs old) is to contact your local DHEC for us in Columbia, SC it's called "BABY NET"... Bright Start ( our Favorite) # 803-929-1112

This service gets someone to your home to evaluate your child to see what kind of services he/ she needs.


This will get you started on Early Intervention, speech, Occupational, ABA & Physical therapies...


Your Early Interventionist will help you apply for state funds... programs/ Medicaid/ tefra etc;
( IF YOU NEED MORE INFO>>> LET ME KNOW) This process will take a while.. SAVE your receipts of any medical expenses.. some of it may get reimbursed!

You'll need to get your pediatrician/ doctor to get in touch w/ a physiologist to get a diagnosis ... * IF THE WAITING LIST TO GET YOU SEEN IS LONGER THAN 2 months.. DON'T WAIT!!!
TIME IS CRUCIAL !!! GO TO A PRIVATE PHYSIOLOGIST!!! IT'S THE BEST MONEY SPENT!!!

Facing Autism

Foster could say 10 -12 words: mama, dada , out, go , ball,dog, nana, gaga( grandma) etc.....

He would grin, laugh,chuckle ..... his personality was so"LIVELY".

The day of his well check up came October 30th,2007... took him in like any mom... dreading the tons of shots they would have to do... but it was told to us "HAS TO BE DONE".

We got him home & he immediately seemed different.. not a peep!

As a few days went by... mommy radar went sky high!!!!

Foster was not talking... he wouldn't respond to his own name.... "SOME ONE SNATCHED MY BABY'S SOUL"!!!!!
NO MORE SMILES... NO MORE LAUGHING..... I CRIED & CRIED& CRIED!!!

My next challenge was getting family on board....

My husband didn't want to believe it... I don't blame him..... but we needed help!

I then kept praying to God... send me someone... send me a sign!

He answered ...... my husband's co- worker "JULIE"... she was hearing me cry out... she asked if she could go play w/ our son..she did & KNEW!! ( She too has an Autistic Boy).

I'll NEVER forget that day.... How can you explain it.... Having a form of relief, that someone knows what is going on w/ your child, so the mystery is SOLVED... but also facing what AUTISM REALLY IS!!! YIKES!!!

* IF ANYONE GIVES YOU ANY INDICATION OR YOU- YOURSELF THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR CHILD, PLEASE,PLEASE DON'T IGNORE IT!
EARLY DETECTION IS THE KEY!!!!

THE WARNING SIGNS

Lets Face it...

No Parent wants to hear the word "AUTISM"...

But in case you are a Curious... let's go over the RED FLAGS:

*Non verbal or verbal regression
*Has melt downs during transitions
*Odd movements/gestrues that fascinate them
*Not developing normal play w/ toys
*Repetitive/ obsessive behaviors
*Lack of Eye contact
*Lack of response to own name
*HIGH pain threshold

With our son... our 1st sign was after his 12 month shots...

Foster was saying 10 -12 words & then went mute!!!
We were devastated .. got his hearing checked.. fine & got tubes in ears , for his constant ear infections.. still NO change!!

I was helped by another mom whom I came to w/ questions... My angel " Julie".
Her son is a year older than Foster, so she was a year ahead of me... the BEST BLESSING TO OUR LONGEST JOURNEY!!!

We got Foster Diagnosed @ 18 months ( he will be three this month)
And BOY HAVE WE COME A LONG WAY ...

Come along w/ us.......