Nathaniel's Story

Stepping up to the Plate for Autism

By Melinda Copp

The Donchs are a regular, middle-class family of four living in Auburn, N.Y., according to David Donch. He works as a millwright at a local steel mill, and his wife, Johanna, works part-time as a clerk in the county nursing home. But this family has something very special about them that millions of families can appreciate.

"We took Nathaniel to a pediatric neurologist when he was 2 1/2 because he didn't speak well and used only one- to three-word sentences," Donch says. "He also didn't play like the other kids. He would line up toys or other objects and spend a lot of time just staring at them. If anyone moved them, he would get upset. He played alongside other kids but didn't socialize with them, except to show them and tell them about the various objects he was obsessed with."

The doctor's diagnosis is something that every parent fears autism. According to the Autism Society of America, autism is a complex developmental disability that affects the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. According to a 2007 Centers for Disease Control report, one in 150 children in America today has an autism spectrum disorder.

Autism is a spectrum disorder that affects individuals differently and at varying degrees, but both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and leisure or play activities. Nathaniel's diagnosis was challenging for Donch and his family on many levels. Not only did they have to accept that their son would face lifelong challenges and that their lives would be changed forever, but they had financial concerns as well.

"The day we received diagnosis, I was first in a state of shock," Donch says. "Outside of seeing the movie Rain Man

Want to see more?

• I Am My Brother's Keeper: A 7-Year-Old Author and the Battle Against Autism
• Autism: Understanding the Disorder
• How to Survive Autism: A Been-there, Done-that Guide
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