Meet Samantha

Samantha Fotsch said “mama” when she was a happy, typically developing 6-month-old. But by the time she was a little more than a year old, she had nearly lost her ability to speak. She began having behavioral problems, as well as eating, sleeping and sensory disorders. Her mother, Deborah, a nurse, said things were progressively getting worse and she did not know what to do. After endless calls and referrals, she ended up at Marcus Autism Center. “I knew this was where we needed to be,” Deborah said.

In November 2006, Samantha began attending the Marcus Autism Center Language and Learning Clinic, just before her third birthday. In less than a year, Samantha had gone from speaking 15 or fewer words a day, to becoming a talkative social butterfly. She particularly enjoyed asking a lot of questions, not unlike most 5-year-olds.

Today, she’s learning how to make jokes, which is a huge testament to how far she’s come. She loves babies and animals, especially her Shi Tzu/Pekingese mix, Bailey. She loves singing songs like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” while doing what she calls her “hip dance.” Samantha successfully transitioned into a regular kindergarten class this fall—a step her mom attributes to the early intervention and applied behavior analysis therapy Samantha received at Marcus Autism Center.

“It was a breath of fresh air to meet other families, therapists and doctors who understood what we were going through. They treated us with warmth and respect. Educating us as a family about how to care for Samantha’s needs at home as well as prepare her for school was the key to our success,” Deborah said.