TEXARKANA MAGAZINE T he first signs were quiet. In fact, only a mother’s intuition could hear them. Long before there was a diagnosis, before therapy sessions and evaluations and unfamiliar medical terms, Jasmine Wilson simply noticed that her daughter experienced the world differently. While other babies reached for cuddles or rocked peacefully to sleep, Kylee pulled away from touch. When her tiny hands should have been grasping Cheerios from a tray, hers struggled to coordinate the movement. Balance seemed uncertain, and sounds and textures overwhelmed her. At the time, Jasmine and her husband, Lee, did not yet know they were at the beginning of a journey that would stretch and teach them patience, deepen their compassion, and ultimately reshape the way they saw the world. The Wilsons are a tight-knit family of five. Jasmine and Lee, high school sweethearts who have grown up side by side since their teenage years, have built a life rooted in commitment. Kylee, who is their youngest, has two older siblings, Sean and Alayna. They each bring their own personalities and energy into the home. “Watching them grow into who they are becoming,” Jasmine shares, “has been one of our greatest joys.” By the time Kylee was around six months old, Jasmine and Lee noticed patterns that felt different from what they had experienced with their older children. “She would slowly tip over when she tried to sit up, and she struggled to grasp small objects,” Jasmine recalls. “If she saw even the tiniest piece of lint or dirt on her clothing, she would scream until it was removed.” Visitors could also be overwhelming. The presence of people outside their immediate household could trigger intense meltdowns. Certain textures bothered her deeply, and she strongly disliked being messy. “It was clear something was different,” Jasmine says. “Even if we couldn’t yet name it.” When Kylee went for her 12-month checkup, Jasmine and Lee shared their concerns with their pediatrician, Krista Niemeyer, NP. For many parents, raising children with developmental concerns can feel intimidating. Some fear their worries might be dismissed as overthinking or unnecessary anxiety. That wasn’t the case.
Because of the sensory challenges of autism, Kylee was once unable to enjoy the fair, and now it is one of her favorite things to do.
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LIFE & STYLE
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