At the age of six, Jun-Jun was first enrolled in kindergarten when he was two years old. His teachers noticed that he could only make simple vowel sounds and had difficulty imitating words and pronunciation. He also preferred to play alone, found it challenging to adapt to group activities in the classroom, and often did not respond when his name was called. Following a comprehensive assessment, he was diagnosed with autism.
To ensure that Jun-Jun could receive professional early intervention services as soon as possible, his parents proactively contacted a social worker. When he turned three, they enrolled him in the day program at Eden Foundation’s Qishan Early Intervention Center. During the initial stage, he found it difficult to remain seated while waiting for his parents after school because of his high activity level. He also needed to wear diapers and required assistance with dressing and undressing. In terms of eating, he preferred only certain foods and was reluctant to try different ingredients. In addition, because his awareness of environmental safety was still limited, he would occasionally pick up objects from the ground and put them into his mouth. As a result, he required constant supervision and companionship in his daily life.
With Eden’s ongoing multidisciplinary early intervention services and professional guidance, Jun-Jun gradually made progress. Today, when he hears his name, he begins to turn toward the sound or approach his teachers on his own. He is also willing to participate in group activities and can follow the daily classroom routine, such as packing his school bag, cleaning up after meals, changing clothes, and using the toilet. Gradually, he has become more independent in his daily life.
Through continuous training using picture cards and augmentative communication tools, Jun-Jun has gradually learned to express his thoughts with simple gestures and has also begun trying to imitate mouth movements to produce sounds. Seeing their child's steady progress has filled his parents with hope for the future and strengthened their belief that Jun-Jun will continue to overcome the challenges in his life and shine in his own way.
