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Labor of love

by Julia Walker Thomas
Katie Caswell "stems" in her bathroom, stemming is short for self-stimulation and involves repetitive actions or movements, like rocking, spinning, waving of hands, and sounds. The actions help soothe or cover other sounds and quiet upset or frustrated emotions. Katie was diagnosed with Autism at 3.

Steve and Debbie Caswell knew something was different about their daughter. As they watched their baby grow they realized she was becoming withdrawn and communicating less and less. At 3 years old, Katie Caswell was diagnosed with autism.

“I had heard the word (autism),” Steve said, but he really didn’t know anything about the developmental disorder.

Katie’s parents and grandmother tried to learn as much about autism as they could. As soon as she heard of the diagnosis, her grandma Kate Thomas ran to the library to study the disorder. Since then, Kate has written several books about being the grandparent of an autistic child.

As Katie grew, she attended special education classes and autism camps. “We had a therapist for a long time, 10 years,” Debbie said.

“We had a tough year on the farm one year and couldn’t really afford to have her come out anymore. From there, we decided to take care of all of the at-home care ourselves,” Steve said.

Since then her parents have been Katie’s only liaisons to the outside world. It is difficult for others to understand what Katie is trying to convey. Like many autistic people, Katie often uses one word answers or parrots, confusing people who do not interact with her frequently. Katie also can become easily overstimulated because she is sensitive to smells, sounds and textures. These sensitivities often make the world a suprising and frightening place for Katie. Her home and her parents are truly her safe place.

In 2012, Katie will graduate from Central Hardin High School in Cecilia. Her mother has high hopes for her future.

The special needs bus arrives at the Caswells' house every weekday morning before sunrise to take Katie to Central Hardin High School. Katie, who is often described by her mother as "growly" in the morning, has an aide who accompanies her to school and makes sure she arrives at her classroom on time.
At Central Hardin High School, Katie learns sign language to help develop her communication skills. Katie raises her hands to her eyes after being overstimulated after an especially long lesson.
Upton residents Katie Caswell and her father, Steve, jump on the trampoline after school. "I had heard of the word, seen a couple movies about it -- that was about it," Steve said about autism. "Now, obviously, I'm an expert."
Katie Caswell of Upton creates her stadium in a corn storage barn where her father put up a hoop. Katie, 19, was diagnosed with autism at 3. She lives with her parents on their corn and soybean farm.
While listening to music Katie "stems." Often a loud or high notes of a song will overstimulate her. Her reaction is usually jumping up and down or repetitive hand movement. Listening to music seems to be one of Katie's favorite activities. "If you try to turn it off before the song is over, now that's like starting World War III," Steve says.
Katie Caswell requires assistance from her mother, Debbie, for almost all daily tasks. "I'll admit, I didn't always make her do everything. Sometimes it's just easier to do it yourself. That turned into a bad habit and now she depends on me to do everything for her," Debbie says.
Debbie Caswell performs "deep pressure therapy" on her daughter Katie almost every night before bed. The ritual involves swaddling Katie in a blanket and squeezing her body in a hug-like position. Autisim experts have observed that deep pressure is relaxing and calming as opposed to light touch, which alerts the nervous system.
Katie often takes a while to fall asleep; outside noises such as barking dogs and car horns and engines often bother her. "Once she's out, she's out," says her mother Debbie, "It takes a whole lot to get her up after that."