Hi, my name is Rebecca. I just got done watching you on Nancy Grace. My family and I love Nancy. We watch her every night. I have a 5 year old daughter named Caitlin. Caitlin was diagnosed with autism at 22 months of age. She is still nonverbal. We live in Petersburg, WV, a fairly small town. There are quite a few children with autism in our community. And we fight the school system every single day!!! It is so hard and difficult, and seems hopeless most of the time. But I keep at it anyway!

I would do anything for my daughter. Not only is she smart, but she is beautiful too. Caitlin has attended school since she was 3. This is her 3rd year of special pre-k. The first 2 years, she attended an autism class at Maysville Elementary. But this year, since they didn't have enough funding, they stuck her in a HEAD START program. All the progress she has made over the last 2 years in the autism class is starting to diminish. We have been fighting for her to return to Maysville to the autism class since June 18, 2008. We have another IEP meeting at 10 am in the morning. I watched bits and pieces of you on Nancy Grace tonight, but I decided to record it with DVR instead, because I can only take so much at a time.

I heard Nancy ask how the school systems respond, and help? Not in my state/area they don't. I have had advocates, spoken to lawyers, made phone calls on top of phone calls, wrote letters to the senate/house of delegates, wrote letters to alsmost everyone in the state, contacted the state superintendent, etc. This is the worst thing I have ever had to endure in my life. This is a critical time for my daughter. She needs to take in as much as she can NOW. They just want her to fall through the cracks. It's a complete OUTRAGE.

I'd love to tell my story to Nancy also. I picked up the phone as you all were on the tv, but couldn't dial. We need help in my area bad. I consider myself an expert on autism, as well as yourself. Any parent or provider that takes care of a child with autism is an expert. You know everything about their child and their disability. It's a very hard job. It's bittersweet. My daughter doesn't sleep well at nights, she bites sometimes, she has bad sensory issues, she craves deep pressure, etc. But she is an angel. She is my only child, and my pride and joy. I love her totally and completely. Even though it is a struggle every single day, I feel rewarded in one way or another at the end of the day. Even if she just gives me eye contact for 2 seconds MAX.

If we get the early intervention for our kids now, it will make a huge difference in the future. We don't know what causes it, or what cures it YET. But I am hopeful that SOMEDAY we will. If our kids aren't helped now, just think of how many will be "left behind" when we do have a cure! Something that hurts me deep in my heart also is that a person of authority and in the school system (Board of Ed.) stated to someone once,"They'll never be able to hold down a job and pay taxes." I was irate when I heard that. So, that's how some people feel about our kids with autism, huh? A lot of people don't know anything about autism, and that is why they are "ignorant" to it. And some people don't even care. Well, I care. I care for mine, and for ANYONE else's out there. God gave us these special children for a reason. I don't believe he would ever give us more than we can handle.

Thank you for hearing my story! Please pray for myself, my daughter, and my family, as we prepare for our IEP mtg in the morning, and as we go along this uncertain journey. May God Bless you and your family. And please, keep broadcasting. Make everyone aware! The Nancy Grace show was a good place to do that! You can tell my story to anyone you want. I have NOTHING to hide, and I want everyone to know about AUTISM! I also have a page for my daughter at http://www.myspace.com/caitibug100103
please check it out sometime!