Austin — known as AJ — is only 11 years old but his maturity level is on par with an adult when talking about his struggles before arriving at Spaulding Academy. Anger and impulsiveness had been a constant issue, leading to everything from punched walls to running away from home to suicidal thoughts and dangerous aggression toward adults. His early years were marked by schools that simply were not equipped to provide the support that he needed.
In 2022, AJ became such a danger to himself and others that his mother and father brought him to the emergency room at Concord Hospital to wait for a bed in an inpatient psychiatric facility. A week later, space opened at Brattleboro Retreat in Vermont, where he stayed for almost a month. While at Brattleboro, AJ went on medication for disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) and, with the help of the medication, he started to get his outbursts and angry behavior under control.
When AJ’s school district would not allow him to return, his parents turned to Spaulding Academy to continue his education. AJ says that he “got crazy” at first adjusting to Spaulding, but the constant support he received helped him find his footing. Rather than isolating AJ, as his previous schools had done, the teachers and clinicians at Spaulding taught him how to cope with and solve his problems. His Spaulding social worker, Gina, and Tom, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) at the school, collaborated with AJ to create a reinforcement system to prioritize safety with his body and voice, completion of academic work, and effective coping skills. The system helped AJ gain self-awareness and handle challenges more effectively.
AJ’s mother, Amanda, attributes the strides that he has made to the stellar staff at Spaulding. “Public school didn’t have Gina. She has that magic touch.” His father, Adam, also felt that AJ had been singled out at public school. “I’m really happy with the inclusivity of Spaulding. It’s been good for him to meet a lot of different kids with a lot of different strengths and weaknesses, skill sets, and abilities. It has helped AJ see himself in a different way.”
AJ recently told his story in a presentation to the Spaulding Academy board of directors. He is very proud of how far he has come, but he says he has a little farther to go. He has set his sights on returning to public school and joining the middle school’s Pokemon club this fall.
“I’ve seen so many changes! It is amazing to see him doing so well! I am blown away by his progress and so grateful to Spaulding for sticking it out with us and not giving up on him.” —Amanda
Whether you are new to the Spaulding family of donors or have been with us for decades, please know that your assistance transforms the lives of children like AJ. All of us at Spaulding thank you for your generosity and welcome you to the Spaulding family!
