The Jaxson Jumpers

Hi, I am Valerie, and I want to tell you about our families journey, as well as some really incredible people that are close to our heart!

My husband Will and I have known each other our entire lives, and decided to start our journey together in 2013. In 2014, our family grew when our handsome boy Jaxson was born. Life with a baby was that typical chaos of happiness, and in 2016 our beautiful baby girl Hope was born. Now in these two years and 4 months between our kiddos being born, two very big things occurred; Jaxson had chronic ear infections with hearing loss and he stopped talking verbally. Now these should have been the first red flags that we witnessed, however the doctor we had never caught them. Early intervention through WIC did though. After Hope was born we decided to change pediatricians. Jax was almost 3 years old at this point and as a person with a psychology background I started seeing some of the characteristics of Autism in my son. Not being a doctor though I felt maybe I was being oversensitive. However the first time that the new doctor met Jax at an appointment for Hope, the doctor changed the appointment to be a double one within the first 5 minutes. He set up all the referrals needed to get him tested and to start with some therapies.

April of 2018, Jaxson was diagnosed with Level 3 nonverbal Autism with echolalia. Over the next years we would try multiple therapies, and apply for disability in Ashtbaula County. Then Jax would start school.

Through this journey we have met so many amazing people that we have now chosen as family! When you have children who have extra needs it takes a village to raise them! In saying this, I made a choice once I got my bachelor's degree to go into a career that I could gain knowledge, and work with other students who also have the same needs. I became a paraprofession and the experience changed my life as a person and a mother.

Jaxsons Dad and I realized early on in his educational career that the area that we lived in that there really wasn't alot of resources or options for him, so we started looking for a better area to live.

October of 2021 brought a huge change for our family as we moved to Warren, Ohio. The transition was hard and brought some regression, but we held on knowing that it would be a positive for Jax. Since moving here we have had ups that were so positive, and downs that were so negative, but I can tell you and my husband would as well that it is worth it. We moved an hour away from our families, biological and chosen, so our son and daughter could have a better education!

And it paid off! Jax is attending Potential Development as of this year and he is thriving academically and developmentally! Hope is doing so amazing academically, theatrically, and in Girl Scouts! We are building a local village!

Now let me tell you another part of this journey. Potential Development does not just hold a personal aspect to my heart, but now a professional part as well. When we moved down here, I started working at the Knapp Center and I enjoyed working in their classroom so much that I needed to find a school that I could support students who might not have the advantage of going to a therapy center for support. So I applied to PD and I started there a little over a year ago. Within 1 month of being there, I loved it so much that I started a teaching degree to be a teacher there.

This community of people means so much to me, they are incredible people! So please join our team, the Jaxson Jumpers, and lets support the Autism Society of Mahoning County. This society does SOO much for the people diagnosed with Autism and their families that it is a PRIVILEGE to give back to them!! Whether you want to join us in person, or just donate, either is APPRECIATED!

Every donation counts! Thank you.

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