Four-year-old Renee had serious problems, problems her parents, Jeff and Rebecca, knew they couldn't fix by themselves.
When Renee's pediatrician referred the family to Boys Town South Florida's Behavioral Health Clinic, Jeff and Rebecca were both relieved and apprehensive. They'd finally found a place where Renee could get the help she needed but there was no guarantee that their family nightmare would be over.
Renee threw intense tantrums that sometimes lasted two hours or more. She had difficulty telling her parents what she wanted, she refused to eat most of the food they served her and she suffered both nighttime and daytime wetting. These symptoms had worsened over the past year, making it difficult for Renee to go to preschool and make friends with other kids.
The tantrums were the biggest stumbling block. Renee threw objects, screamed, hit herself and bit her own hand. When Renee was on a rampage, the entire household was thrown into chaos and it was all Jeff and Rebecca could do to keep Renee from seriously injuring herself, let alone try to stop the violent behaviors.
During her initial interview with staff at the Boys Town Clinic, Renee was almost entirely nonverbal and wet herself without alerting her parents. Staff members also learned that a number of previous service providers had considered a possible diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Over a five-month period with the Clinic's professionals, Renee underwent intense treatment for her tantrums and Jeff and Rebecca learned skills and strategies that focused on improving their daughter's ability to follow their instructions. The couple also learned how to address Renee's communication issues, her refusal to eat and her wetting habits. In later treatment sessions, Renee joined her parents so they could observe, learn and receive feedback on their responses from staff.
It was a difficult journey for the family, but over time, Renee got better. In the month after treatment ended, she had only one temper tantrum and did not bite her hand at all. She had not wet her bed and had only one daytime accident. Most importantly, she is communicating at an age-appropriate level and is much more affectionate with her parents. In follow-up Clinic visits, Rebecca and Jeff noted that much of Renee's progress stems from their improved patience, clear instructions and having more positive interactions than negative interactions in their home. This has helped the couple feel more confident in their ability to maintain progress moving forward.
Thanks to Boys Town South Florida, a family that was on the brink is now on solid ground again!
The stories provided about the children and families in our care are real. In some cases, names may be changed and details altered to protect their privacy and therapeutic interests.
