FIU - CASE Hope

Page 1

HELPLESSNESS

turns to

HOPE

CCF revolutionizes

treatments for child

F

or Kayla and Tim Riera-Gomez,

personality that if we can get through

the troubling phone calls from their

it, he was going to do amazing things

son’s preschool started when he was

that enjoyed professional success.

pediatrician. They met with the principal

behavioral aide’s assistance to

for the world,” Kayla said. “Then it

Kayla is an attorney and Tim is a

at his school, who offered to work with

insurance. The expense was high,

only 3.

progressed. We were receiving calls

lobbyist. When Christopher was born,

the family to help Christopher. But they

and they knew it could only serve as a

from the school, sometimes two and

they thought they were starting a

were still left wondering — why was

temporary solution.

three a day.”

happy new chapter in their life. But

Christopher so mad?

Christopher was misbehaving. He

mental health and

yelled at teachers. He threw things.

behavior disorders

He had temper tantrums. His crying

By Ayleen Barbel Fattal | abarbel@fiu.edu and JoAnn C. Adkins | jadkins@fiu.edu

The parents were left wondering

The parents were a happy couple

the emotional fallout of Christopher’s

Kayla and Tim talked to Christopher’s

They hired a behavioral aide that

diagnosis, they could not bill the

“Your child is the only one with an adult shadow. That doesn’t make them

fits lasted as long as an hour. By

how a 4-year-old could get kicked out

daily challenges left them tired,

attended preschool every day with

feel any better among their peers,”

the time he was 4, the school was

of preschool. They realized something

confused and feeling helpless. It took

Christopher, but did so without a

Tim said.

threatening suspensions.

more than just willfulness was afflicting

a toll on their marriage. Christopher

diagnosis since mental and behavior

It was around that same time,

their young son. And they realized he

picked up on the stress, which only led

disorders are typically not diagnosed

Tim heard about FIU’s Center for

wouldn’t just grow out of it.

to more behavioral issues.

in children that young. Without a

Children and Families (CCF), a

“At first, we thought it was willfulness, this kind of strength-of-

22 | Arts, Sciences & Education 2015-2016

Christopher Riera-Gomez left, and his parents Kayla and Tim are enjoying a new family dynamic thanks to a program at FIU’s Center for Children and Families.

Arts, Sciences & Education 2015-2016 | 23


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