South Seattle Group Helps Vietnamese Families Navigate Autism, Developmental Delays

About 1 in 6 children in the U.S. experiences developmental delays, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This includes attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and other learning and developmental challenges. While there are dozens of resources for families with autistic children and those with developmental delays in Washington state, Dr. Thanh Kirkpatrick, a pediatrician at Rainier Valley's HopeCentral Clinic and executive director of the Vietnamese Family Autism Advisory Board (VFAAB), said she cofounded VFAAB because "there are so many barriers for the community."

"In the Vietnamese community, children tend to receive an autism diagnosis much later than mainstream Caucasian children," said Kirkpatrick, who notes that catching a developmental delay early makes a difference in outcomes. "Patients would be overlooked. There would be a slip due to a language barrier." She meets with developmental experts and autism and disability organizations to build relationships for the community. VFAAB connects Vietnamese families with support and care services. It also educates families about autism and developmental delays and engages with parents on ways to work with their children's challenging behaviors.

Karen Yao, VFAAB family champion and a mother of an autistic boy, said many Vietnamese families don't share their child's learning delays with others. 

"Many times they don't want others to know they have a child with disabilities because people in the community might think the universe is punishing the family for something they did wrong," said Yao.

When Yao's son Ethan was 3, he was a happy toddler but wasn't speaking or eating and couldn't pull up his pants. A developmental specialist diagnosed Ethan with severe autism spectrum disorder, and the specialist noted that the outcomes would have been much worse if she had waited another month. Yao quit her job and sought physical, speech, and occupational therapy appointments for her son. She spent full days taking Ethan to any free appointments she could. Today, Ethan is thriving and excelling in his middle school classes. 

Yao, who lived in Beacon Hill with her parents, said the effort and sacrifices paid off. "After a 16-week program, Ethan had a big jump in his progress. He was able to write his name and stomp his feet."

Yao said after watching her son's growth, she doesn't see autism as a disability. She was invited by VFAAB to speak about her experience, and Yao has been helping Vietnamese families seek help for their children ever since.

VFAAB offers classes where families learn about developmental milestones to help track their child's progress so they can seek help if needed. The organization also offers parenting tips to decrease difficult behaviors. 

Kim Ha Nguyen, whose daughter Elisha was born with Down syndrome, has attended these classes and described how the sessions helped her with her daughter's needs.

Nguyen, a resident of the Chinatown-International District, recounted through an interpreter how Elisha would bang her head on the wall and would have tantrums. "I learned that instead of ignoring the behavior, I could hug her. I could play and talk with her and be really observant to see what she needs," Nguyen said. "I asked her to try to tell me what she needs, and I told her I'll try my best to understand. The class encouraged me to be patient."

Nguyen said Elisha had been saying "I'm hungry" in English. Nguyen recalled that it took three days for her to realize what the phrase meant as she wasn't a native English speaker. "Now Elisha listens to what I say," said Nguyen.

She stressed the importance of VFAAB's work. "When it takes weeks to access an appointment for services, VFAAB can help me over the phone, in my language, at the time I have a question."

Kirkpatrick noted that "accessing therapies can take a year or even a few years, and they're offered in English. [VFAAB's] courses can offer helpful tips for families to care for their children while they're on the waitlist for therapies."

In May and June, VFAAB will partner with Odessa Brown Children's Clinic to offer Small Steps 101 and 102, classes open to Vietnamese families throughout the region. They'll also offer evidence-based interventions for behaviors like tantrums and meltdowns, as well as play-based strategies to support child development, communication, and social skills.