Keely — Persistence and Love Unlocked My Child’s Silence

My son Mason was 2 years old when he started to bang his head against the wall—all the time. He knew all his letters, but he would not speak. He cried all the time. I didn’t know what was happening. I took him to many doctors and therapists, and they all told me he was autistic. But that just didn’t feel right. It was so frustrating.

No parent in Loudoun should have to struggle for a toddler in need.

The Next Chapter

I finally got answers when I took Mason to a local nonprofit speech and hearing center. It turns out that my son is not autistic. He has something called “vision cortex instability convergence disorder.” He sees things very differently than the rest of us.

The center immediately enrolled Mason in both vision and speech therapy. I have been home schooling him along with his sister so we can work through his issues together. As a result, things are much better. Now 11, Mason is starting to form words, going to the library to get books, and practicing his handwriting. He has so much more confidence. His therapists tell me he will be self-sufficient in time.

I am so grateful to the nonprofit center. They were so willing to help me. They never said, “This is not our problem.” Instead, they said, “We are going to fix this.” They tested for possibilities our school hadn’t even mentioned. And, once the issue was diagnosed, they gave me the tools I needed to feel well equipped as a parent to cope. They helped end the need.