A kidnapped five year old boy from Alabama is now safe and kidnapper Jim Dykes is dead, so what now?
Pam Gorski with Reaching Potentials in Fredericksburg, who treats autistic children, says trauma for a child with such a condition is different. Young Ethan suffers from Asperger's syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She says it was likely difficult for him to deal with the trauma of what happened and to adapt to a new person and new surroundings. The child was taken to a nearby hospital, after being rescued Monday, and reunited with his family.
Gorski says that though the situation for a child with a condition on the autism spectrum is different to deal with, it would be as traumatic for a child of any age. She says Ethan's parents and others may have to delve more slowly into dealing with what he went through, over a week being held captive. She says sometimes children with such conditions might relate better to social stories or other strategies to get them to open up about how they are feeling.
