Momoko

Our case manager, David, and Momoko’s “big sisters”, Peace, Grace and Rachel, provided a truly warm and nurturing environment for Momoko to really feel comfortable and welcome. This allowed her to relax, have fun, and do the best work for her therapists. The overall “game plan” for Momoko’s treatment was outstanding and executed flawlessly.

Our key goal prior to treatment was to improve Momoko’s auditory processing abilities. That has definitely accomplished. Through it is hard to quantify, Momoko’s speech communication has improved, particularly in the last six weeks has been nothing but impressive. She now speaks with increased clarity, proper grammar and sentence structure, and importantly, with much more confidence. She is now capable of initiating and conducting a “normal” conversation with spontaneous input and interaction. There has been more focus and concentration at school resulting in useful and logical processing of absorbed information. Unfortunately, Momoko’s first grade teacher medically retired in March and could not provide any additional input, but her full-time LAUSD-assigned aide has also noticed and commented on these subtle, but remarkable, positive changes.

Momoko still faces many obstacles in her daily challenges with Autism. But all the tools and efforts of the Drake Institute have definitely provided her with the decisive edge to overcome this disability. This program was the breakthrough treatment we were looking for, the necessary traction and catalyst which gives her the critical foundation to succeed academically, socially, and independently, especially as LAUSD continues to reduce its services and assistance to Momoko.

Wayne Y., Father of Momoko