30 Years of Caring
Reprinted with permission. May 2003
By Terry Rindfleisch Of the Tribune staff

Chris Adkins has called Chileda his home for more than two years.

The 15-year-old boy from Tomah, Wis., was placed at the residential center for children and young adults with autism and other developmental disabilities because of aggression and other behavioral problems.

Every day for seven years, Janice Tappa, his grandmother, drove Chris from Tomah to Chileda in La Crosse for day school, then picked him up later in the day and drove back home to Tomah.

But as Chris got older, he became more aggressive and had more behavioral problems, and Tappa had trouble dealing with her grandson.

"He had bitten me once while I was driving 45 miles an hour," Tappa said. "I had mixed feelings about Chris going to Chileda for good because I wanted him home with me. But I couldn't take care of him like they did at Chileda."

"I've seen him make progress there," she said. "He's safe and learning some skills. I did this for Chris. Chileda is his home now."

Mark Trampf, a classroom teacher at Chileda for nine years, said Chris has made progress.

"I taught him to do two academic tasks last year, and now he can do four or five, and he sits longer to do the tasks," Trampf said. "His behaviors are better, but they fluctuate."

He said Chris has punched a hole in the wall while walking down the hallway at Chileda.

"When he's good, he's great," said Anita Walker, an adaptive physical education teacher at Chileda for 15 years. "When he's bad, I try to hide. That's his nature, but he has come a long way."

Walker works with Chris on physical activity skills and mobility, and learning how to cooperate as a group and taking turns sharing. She said Chris likes walking on a treadmill and riding a three-wheel bicycle.

"He actually enjoys walking," Walker said. "He had club feet real bad and had trouble walking, but then he had surgery. He now walks a mile without distress. Before, he couldn't walk five feet, and then it took five people to move him."

Trampf works on pre-school level skills with Chris, such as learning colors and numbers. Chris also has trouble communicating verbally.

Chris helps collect food trays and also works at Chileda's vocational center, where he has placed pegs into a peg board and sorted poker chips.

"Chris has had mixed results at the vocational center," Trampf said. "Our goal has been for him to sit and do a specific task, and we're not always successful."

At Chileda, Chris is one of 43 children and young adults ages 6 to 18 with cognitive disabilities, autism, challenging behaviors and physical disabilities. Chileda is considered a national model of care and treatment for children and young adults with developmental disabilities.

Don Heidel, founder and president of Chileda, said Chileda provides a comprehensive array of educational and behavioral services to help each person live, learn, play and work successfully in community settings.

Chileda is celebrating its 30th anniversary on June 16. Over three decades, hundreds of children and young adults have been treated at Chileda.

Most of Chileda's residents today have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism is considered more common today, 11 times more prevalent than 15 years ago, Heidel said.

Autism covers many disorders that can include passive or aggressive behavior and self-injury. Some people with autism have difficulty expressing needs, repeat words or phrases in place of normal, responsive language, have no real fear of danger and can be unresponsive to normal teaching methods.

Heidel said he has seen a tremendous demand to learn more about autism in the past 30 years. That may be in part because a cure could be a possibility some day, he said.

"Not long ago, many people believed that autism was an incurable genetic condition," Heidel said. "Now that's changing. It appears that certain symptoms of autism may be caused by things that we may be able to control, such as the person's environment, deficiencies and communication challenges."

Heidel said Chileda staff use a clear and concise individualized assessment and a spectrum of treatments, from sensory integration techniques and assisted technology to environmental modification and regulation of body systems.

"Some of the lessons we are learning at Chileda are going to help lead to a cure, I really believe it," Heidel said.

Walker works with Chileda residents wanting to participate in the Special Olympics program, or looking for activities they can do for a lifetime. She said a lot of residents enjoy tennis.

"For all kids I can do something," Walker said. "These are little kids in big bodies, and we try to give them the opportunity to be proud of themselves, and have them do something today that they could not do yesterday."

Walker said she had a child afraid of water dive off the diving board and a girl who never thought she could ride a bike learn to ride a three-wheeler.

Trampf said Chileda residents behave better and present fewer problems if they have a strict routine. "All hell breaks loose when they are out of their routine," he said.

He said he continues to be impressed with the dedication of the Chileda staff.

"I stay here because of the small things," Trampf said. "Every day you have small accomplishments."