P.L.A.Y. Project Helps Autistic Boy

Eight-year-old Parker Reed looks like any other kid, but critical therapy has changed his life. At two, he was diagnosed with autism.

"He was about 18 months, and he had some words and then they kind of disappeared," said Amy Reed, Parker's mother.

As Parker struggled to communicate at all, his parents struggled to figure out how to help him.

"(As) soon as the autism diagnosis came, all of the insurance stopped. So, the physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, all of it ceased once the diagnosis came. So, that was a little shocking," said Rick Reed, Parker' father.

That's when they learned about play therapy and Easter Seals.

"We go into the family's home, and we train the parents to be the primary teacher for their child; to do the work everyday with their child," said P.L.A.Y. Project Coordinator Shana Wirth.

Called the P.L.A.Y. Project, the acronym stands for Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters, it was created by Dr. Richard Solomon in Ann Arbor. Part of Easter Seals' mission is to train parents how to do it, then they must spend three hours a day making connections with their kids.

"If I say hi to you and you say hi back... that would be an opening of a connection and closing of a connection. If I make eye contact, that opens a connection. If you make eye contact back, that closes it. So, you have to force elongated connection of communication with your son or daughter on the floor," Rick Reed.

The Reeds have spent endless hours with Parker, never giving up, and he's like a different kid.

"He asks for play dates. He wants to play with other kids. He'll be going into a regular third grade classroom," Amy Reed said.

Walk With Me, a one mile walk along the Detroit riverfront, is happening on Saturday, August 28. Money raised helps support Easter Seals early intervention autism therapy. Click here for more information about the event.